Former Rubber Store (Building 76), Kingston Mills

BRADFORD ON AVON

875/0/10015 Former rubber store (building 76), 28-JUN-05 Kingston Mills

II

Former weaving shed, of mid to late C19 date; altered after 1900 to rubber store. Of ashlar and brick, with roof of four bay west roof-light pattern, with slate to the east pitches. Of two storeys; ground floor has four stone arched vaults; first floor is of four bays. Roughly square in plan. South elevation has blocked rectangular opening with segmental headed cast iron 12 light window above and circular headed doorway with timber door at ground floor; above are two cast iron 18 light windows and a central round headed delivery door. The gables of the first floor sheds are obscured by the high parapet. The north elevation has five bays, owing to angle of the west boundary, of which four bays have segmental headed openings, two now with double timber doors, one a window converted to a door and the fourth has a blocked window opening with stone sill. A horizontal stone band divides the two storeys, above which is a central delivery door. Internally, the ground floors are of rough faced coursed stone and ashlar faced semi-circular vaults, with stone flagged floor. Doorways connect the vaults. First floor comprises a single open space, open to roof, and both the floor and window sills are lined with rubber. Access to this floor is now via the adjacent New Mills building (qv). HISTORY: The building was originally used for weaving, probably associated with the New Mills woollen mill complex. Spencer, Moulton & Co, whose rubber factory occupied the adjacent Kingston Mills site, expanded their business towards the end of the C19, purchasing New Mills in 1899. In c.1900 this former weaving shed was raised to two storeys and the stone-arched vaults added to the ground floor; this created a fire proof store for raw India rubber. In 1956 the company was bought by the Avon Rubber Company who continued to manufacture rubber here until the site's closure in 1992. ASSESSMENT OF IMPORTANCE: This former weaving shed, which was converted to a rubber store in the early C20, comprises an unusual combination of massive semi-circular vaults with west-lit sheds above. Its special interest resides in its historical association with the rubber industry of Spencer Moulton. It has strong group value with the adjacent New Mills complex and makes a significant contribution to the townscape of Bradford-on-Avon. SOURCE: `Kingston Mills, Bradford-on-Avon' (1999) George & Toni Demidowicz.