Monument record 2853/19 - Former Gasworks Site, Kingscliffe

Former gasworks established in 1860. In 1908 the buildings were known to include a retort/coal house, an engineers workshop, tar and coke store, domestic warehouse and purifying house along with the gasometer. Later used as a petrol station.

{1} The gas works was established in 1860 and cost £19,000. The former gas works was made up of six separate components but only the shells now remain of three of them. The retort house survives as a shell, though much altered, and has nothing of the retorts, pipes or ventilation that would be expected. Similarly the engineers workshop contains no clues to its former use. A small segment of the former gas holder brick surround has been exposed within the modern garage to the rear of the property. The curving section is approximately 1m long and is two courses thick and has been bonded with a hard Portland cement. The former gas holder may have been a chain-guided type. The tar and coke house has been largely demolished and only the east wall survives. Floors have been inserted in both surviving sections and the roof totally replaced by a modern structure. Only one window survives in unaltered form, the rest have been blocked or truncated by other, later, features.
The lime store, purifying house and meter house have all been altered. Indeed the east wall of all three rooms has been largely demolished and no interior fittings survive to indicate which rooms served which function, though it may be that the largest room was used to store the lime. The wood set into the wall in the northern room suggests equipment secured to it, but does not survive in such a way as to aid identification of the equipment itself. The roof is modern and has possibly been lowered.

{2} Although the gasometer was poorly preserved the watching brief was able to provide information as to the operating system employed in this particular gasworks.
The gasometer comprised a brick surround into which was located the metal tank which acted as a meter. This was constructed of sheet metal plates riveted together, with metal rollers located around the exterior in order to alllow smooth movement of the meter within the brick surround. Although nothing remained of the superstructure of the gasometer, what is known of similar structures suggests that the four brick piers on the exterior of the brick surround may have supported metal pylons through which ran metal chains to guide the gasometer as it rose and fell, in response to the volume of gas inside.
A single pipe was identified in the base of the brick surround. The pipe was not traced any further and it was not possible to clarify whether this was an inlet or exit pipe, and where the other inlet/exit pipe was located.

{3} The site of a petrol station known as The Gas Works that was opened in 1860. The petrol station is constructed of stone with a double pitch asbestos roof. A long, low single storied range is situated to the south west. This building was not found on any mapping and may be demolished or altered.


Description from record 2853/19/3:
{1} The tar and coke house has been largely demolished and only the east wall survives. Floors have been inserted in both surviving sections and the roof totally replaced by a modern structure. Only one window survives in unaltered form, the rest have been blocked or truncated by other, later, features.
The lime store, purifying house and meter house have all been altered. Indeed the east wall of all three rooms has been largely demolished and no interior fittings survive to indicate which rooms served which function, though it may be that the largest room was used to store the lime. The wood set into the wall in the northern room suggests equipment secured to it, but does not survive in such a way as to aid identification of the equipment itself. The roof is modern and has possibly been lowered.

<1> Masters P.; Prentice J., 2000, Archaeological Building Recording & Desktop Survey at The Former Gas Works Site, Kingscliffe, Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Report). SNN103616.

<2> Leigh D., 2003, An Archaeological Watching Brief at The Old Gasworks, Kingscliffe, Peterborough, (unchecked) (Report). SNN104864.

<3> Historic England, Building File (Uncertain). SNN71057.

Record last edited

Dec 6 2022 2:33PM