Grace's Guide is the leading source of historical information on industry and
manufacturing in Britain. This web publication contains 167,859 pages of
information and 247,161 images on early companies, their products and the
people who designed and built them.
Grace's Guide is the leading source of historical information on industry and
manufacturing in Britain. This web publication contains 147,919 pages of
information and 233,587 images on early companies, their products and the
people who designed and built them.
Annealing furnace, containing reconstructed muffle furnace with counterbalanced lifting doorReproduction of rolling mill in its original location. It would have been driven by a waterwheel whose remains can still be seen (located behind the wall to the left)These cast iron lintels are thought to have been beams for tilt hammersHub of working waterwheel, with chain drive to lineshaft for generator. Note the detailing on the cast iron spokeEnd view of working wheel. Note how the spokes fit in the wheel rim castings. The wheels here are of the undershot type. Such wheels are suited to situations where there is only a low head of water available. Their efficiency is very dependent on the closeness of fit between the paddles and the masonry
on the River Avon, west of Bath
A former 'battery' mill for working brass into hollow-ware vessels by hammering ('battering') and rolling.
Although much of the equipment is long gone, two waterwheels survive in whole or part (one of which is workable), together with an annealing furnace and various items related to the business. There are numerous display boards relating to the mill, to the history of the copper and brass industries, and to the production processes.
See website for details of open days. The website also has links to papers by the leading authority on the local brass industry, Joan Day.
