Search House And Clocking On Shed At Sedgwick Powder Works

SD 58 NW, 63/4/10003

HELSINGTON, Search House and Clocking on Shed at Sedgwick Powder Works

GV

II

Search house and clocking-on shed. Mid C19, with minor late C20 alterations. Random rubble limestone and vertical boarding beneath a single-hipped roof with a Westmorland slate roof covering. South end wall, which forms part of site boundary and helps define the main entrance, has a level flat-coped top with small blocked openings. West side doorway with boarded door and blocked window. North and east walls are blind. Listed for group value with the adjacent gate house and office (item 4/10002).

The Sedgwick Powder works is the most complete of the gunpowder manufacturing sites in Cumbria, an important location for the industry. The hazardous nature of the process led to the development of highly-dispersed sites, with workshops and drying areas sited in isolated positions, often with blast banks between them. Non-manufacturing buildings however, such as the search house and gate house could be grouped together, as in this instance. The survival of so complete a set of buildings as are found on this site is extremely uncommon.

Listing NGR: SD5086287546