De Montalt Works (Main East Block) With Aqueduct Pylons

De Montalt Works (Main East Block) with Aqueduct Pylons

Former paper mill, now largely ruinous, built in 1804 and 1805. The main works comprise a large rectangular block with a low-pitched hipped roof, constructed in Combe Down limestone ashlar in large square blocks with a slate roof. The building originally stood two or three storeys high above a basement, attached to the north of an administration building. It formerly featured four gables, but these and much of the roofing have collapsed.

The site was once notable for its large overshot water wheel, 17 metres in diameter, positioned at the north-east end. Though the wheel has completely disappeared, the well remains partially visible. The works contain four large openings on the main elevation, plus one additional opening, separated by an eaves stack above a continuous cavetto mould string that returns at each end. The very high ground floor has three large openings with voussoirs and keystones, with a very wide central opening to a deep wooden lintel and deep flush stone threshold. Part of a window head and another opening have been taken down to ground level, with a horizontal industrial window above, all set under a drip course with dropped ends. Above the drip are sockets for rafter ends. The basement level has four varied elliptical-arched openings, some blocked, with keystones, and the remains of a square projecting unit.

The short left return displays a triple opening with stone mullions and substantial remains of vertical glazing bars. The lower floor, partially concealed by tree growth, contains two large sixteen-pane sashes and a pair of plank doors set under a drip course. The right return has two large openings at eaves level and two stepped external square buttresses, with a small segmental-headed opening to the former wheel-housing. The rear features an eaves stack and window openings above the lower building.

The administration building's main front has on its upper floor a central group of two twelve-pane sashes and a blind light with cambered heads and keystones on heavy square sills, set under a stopped drip, with a pair of plank loading doors at each end to an elliptical arch with keystone. The walling above has broken off to approximately a horizontal line, where it was formerly multi-gabled. The lower floor, under a continuous cavetto string, features a five-bay colonnade with four plain Tuscan columns to responds and a plain shallow frieze on bases, now partly covered by earth and plant growth. This is flanked by two twelve-pane sashes on each side. Set back into the colonnade is a central elliptical-headed doorway with flanking sixteen-pane sashes and doors in each return. Ground floor windows are set to a sill band, with the returns flush with the end walls of the main works building and containing twelve and sixteen-pane sashes.

The basement of the main works contains deep barrel vaults in cut stone and remains of heavy beam and joist floors. The administration block is almost entirely ruinous with only remnants of roofing surviving. The building's condition was very poor at inspection in 2002.

Two aqueduct pylons remain to the north of the building at its east end, in good ashlar work, tapering from approximately 1 metre square bases to approximately 5 metres high. These form piers at the entrance to adjacent cottages.

History and Industrial Significance

The site passed from the Prior Park Estate in 1779 following the marriage of the Baron de Montalt to Ralph Allen's niece. The 2nd Baron (subsequently Viscount Hawarden) founded the paper mill here in 1805, run by the partnership of Bally, Ellen and Stearn. It originally produced high quality writing paper and sketching paper, famously used by Turner, Constable, Bonington, Varley and Cotman, as well as paper for banknotes issued by provincial banks. The mill was particularly noted for its overshot water wheel, 56 feet in diameter, fed by a large pipe on pylons from a reservoir to the north-west. This was the largest in the country when built and was complemented by an early Boulton and Watt steam engine, installed in 1808. In industrial archaeological terms, the site is of considerable interest.

By 1834 the works had begun producing gutta percha and papermaking was subsequently relocated to Wookey Hole. The site and machinery were sold in 1841. During the 1850s the site operated as a laundry and by 1859 housed a patent cloth manufacturer. After a period as a market garden, the site returned to industrial use in 1875 when the De Montalt Steam Works opened, producing furniture. In 1883 this became the premises of cabinet maker J.H. Whitaker and Company, operating until 1905. The site subsequently entered a prolonged period of dereliction.

Despite its poor condition, the site forms a highly interesting group of considerable architectural and industrial archaeological value, situated on the southern edge of Bath in dramatically falling countryside.