Main Building Of The Former Parrett Iron Works

Main building of the former Parrett Iron Works, Carey's Mill, Martock. A foundry and possibly earlier mill building dating from the late 18th century and mid-19th century. Constructed of ham stone cut and squared, with a Welsh slate roof to the main block and an asphalted flat roof to the south-west section behind a parapet.

The main block is four storeys with an attic, while the south-west section is three storeys. The main block features a three-bay south gable with three-centre arched cast-iron small-pane windows throughout most of the building, though the centre bays of the first and third floors have blank panels, the former now containing a small inserted window. A 20th-century doorway is present in the lower bay 1, with earlier part-glazed doors with former landings to bay 1 first floor, bay 3 second floor, and bay 1 third floor. The attic is lit by a semi-circular cast-iron light. The north-west gable is similar in design but features doorways to the centre bay at each level, with a pulley and hoist over the third floor doorway. The gable is crowned by a simple bell-turret with bell wheel and bell, and contains a circular recess for a clockface.

The south-west building may date from the 18th century. It is five bays by one bay with a cornice mould below a plain parapet. On the south face are two-light plain mullioned windows with beaded architraves and rectangular-leaded windows, some with iron-framed opening lights, to all bays of the second floor and bays 3, 4 and 5 of the first floor. Between bays 1 and 2 on the first floor is a three-centre arched doorway. Ground floor level contains blocked doorways to bays 1 and 3 on the right, with semi-circular arched openings to bays 2 and 3 on the left, the former containing a cast-iron window insert. A three-centre arched cast-iron window spans bays 4 and 5.

Interior construction of the south-west section comprises cast-iron beams and brick vaulting to the roof, with cast-iron and timber joist construction below. The roof tank was originally lead-lined and of considerable capacity. The ground floor houses one of two wheels on site, cast by George Parsons in 1854 at West Lambrook before he moved his iron works to this location. This wheel measures approximately 4.5 metres in diameter and 3 metres across, with much associated gearing and machinery still in position, though currently silted up on a dry mill-stream.

The main building features cast-iron columns and composite cast-iron main beams with timber joisting. On the third floor, the columns have quarter-circle corbels to carry the former loft flooring. The entire roof structure is cast iron, constructed with slim queen-post type trusses with the bottom ties apparently sawn off and now linked to the main timber sleeper joists. Castings for upper collars were provided but apparently never used. The trusses are positioned at approximately one-metre centres with cast-iron battens and slates wired on.

In the western corner at the front stands the main access stair, fire-protected within a separate brick internal tower with heavy doors in cast-iron frames to each level. The stair is a spiral cast-iron construction with a large-diameter centre newel that also serves as the main water feed from the south-west roof storage tank and has hosepipe connections at each floor level.

This represents a relatively early attempt to produce a fire-resisting factory building, adding considerable value to an already important industrial structure. The building was in the process of partial restoration by owner-occupier as of June 1985. A crane was in position on the north-east corner of an extension roof added in the early 1980s, incorporating new timberwork with older cast-iron components.