Search House And Clocking On Shed At Sedgwick Powder Works

Search house and clocking-on shed at Sedgwick Powder Works, built in the mid-19th century, with minor alterations in the late 20th century. The structure is made of random rubble limestone and vertical boarding, topped with a single-hipped roof covered in Westmorland slate. The south end wall, which is part of the site boundary and defines the main entrance, features a level flat-coped top with small blocked openings. The west side has a doorway with a boarded door and a blocked window, while the north and east walls are blind. This building is listed for its group value with the adjacent gate house and office.

The Sedgwick Powder Works is the most complete gunpowder manufacturing site in Cumbria, significant for the industry. Due to the hazardous nature of gunpowder production, sites were developed to be highly dispersed, with workshops and drying areas positioned in isolated locations, often separated by blast banks. However, non-manufacturing buildings like the search house and gate house could be grouped together, as seen here. The preservation of such a complete set of buildings on this site is extremely rare.