Oil Retort House

ST14SW 5/125

KILVE CP KILVE PILL Oil Retort House

GII Oil retort house.Circa 1924.Red brick,irregular bond,and cast iron.Roughly square in plan,a rectangular block about four metres high and 2.15x2.45 metres square.Flat roofed,divided by recessed string course with inset cast iron bar on East front,corbelled projection below on all fronts,irregularly placed square ventilation holes,majority on East and West fronts;segmental headed loading opening on West front at ground floor level with cut off pipe above,angled segmental headed opening on North front above low external stepped plinth partially damaged.Surrmounted by cast iron chimney with flange attached on West side,thought to have been an attachment to carry away and condense the vapours,in all about five metres high.In 1916 it was discovered that the shale beds of the North Somerset coast were rich in oil and in 1924 Dr Forbes-Leslie founded the Shaline Company to exploit them.This retort house is thought to be the first structure erected here for the conversion of shale to oil but the company was unable to raise sufficient capital and this is now all that remains of the anticipated Somerset oil boom.Listed primarily for historical interest.(Country Life October 26,1967;photograph in NMR).

Listing NGR: ST1445244313