Within a couple of days of joining I was ready for my first explore!
I met up with donebythehands and a few others (terribly sorry I'm
rubbish with names).
But anyway, our original plan didn't work out well and we found
ourselves at Langley Maltings! I didn't even know this was here
until these guys mentioned it. After looking up some history on it,
the original pictures make it look a beautiful building! I couldn't
believe the damage it has faced since it closed!
Just want to say a big thank you to donebythehands and the rest
the group!!
Here's a bit of history...
"On the evening of 8th September 2009 fire broke out in the derelict
Maltings in Western Road, Langley. Half of the roof of the grade two
listed building was destroyed before the fire was put out, and three
of its characteristic outlet towere destroyed. So, another iconic
building in the history of Oldbury is damaged or lost.
The maltings were erected by Walter Showell around 1880 on the
side of the Titford Canal to supply malt to his new 'Crosswells Brewery'
a hundred yards away across the railway line. This was one of the
largest breweries in the area, and Showell's Ales were distributed
throughout the Midlands. Local barley was used in the malting process,
supplemented with grain brought in by barge and, later, by railway.
Malting ceased in 2006, and the building was sold by its owners,
Wolverhampton and Dudley Breweries, in 2007, since when it has been
allowed to deteriorate. It was one of the last maltings to still use the
traditional 'floor' malting process: the grains of barley were steeped in
water and then spread over the floor of the maltings, the mass being
frequently turned to permit even germination. At the end of the
twentieth century, there were only five maltings in the country still
using this process.
It is a striking building, rising from the side of the canal, the water at
the base of its walls, and a feature of the canal walk from Oldbury
locks to Titford Pool. This was not its first major fire. On 25th
September 1925 the maltings caught fire and half of the building
destroyed. Added hazards in 1925 were the location of the Shell-Mex
petroleum tanks next to the maltings, and tar wagons in the railway
yard opposite: both long since gone. On that occasion,the maltings
were part of a commercially successful operation, and were quickly
rebuilt. Their future now is much less certain, but it is to be hoped
that they can be retained and a new use found for them."
So I'm not a professional and I don't have the best SLR but I have
tried my best
Thanks for looking
I met up with donebythehands and a few others (terribly sorry I'm
rubbish with names).
But anyway, our original plan didn't work out well and we found
ourselves at Langley Maltings! I didn't even know this was here
until these guys mentioned it. After looking up some history on it,
the original pictures make it look a beautiful building! I couldn't
believe the damage it has faced since it closed!
Just want to say a big thank you to donebythehands and the rest
the group!!
Here's a bit of history...
"On the evening of 8th September 2009 fire broke out in the derelict
Maltings in Western Road, Langley. Half of the roof of the grade two
listed building was destroyed before the fire was put out, and three
of its characteristic outlet towere destroyed. So, another iconic
building in the history of Oldbury is damaged or lost.
The maltings were erected by Walter Showell around 1880 on the
side of the Titford Canal to supply malt to his new 'Crosswells Brewery'
a hundred yards away across the railway line. This was one of the
largest breweries in the area, and Showell's Ales were distributed
throughout the Midlands. Local barley was used in the malting process,
supplemented with grain brought in by barge and, later, by railway.
Malting ceased in 2006, and the building was sold by its owners,
Wolverhampton and Dudley Breweries, in 2007, since when it has been
allowed to deteriorate. It was one of the last maltings to still use the
traditional 'floor' malting process: the grains of barley were steeped in
water and then spread over the floor of the maltings, the mass being
frequently turned to permit even germination. At the end of the
twentieth century, there were only five maltings in the country still
using this process.
It is a striking building, rising from the side of the canal, the water at
the base of its walls, and a feature of the canal walk from Oldbury
locks to Titford Pool. This was not its first major fire. On 25th
September 1925 the maltings caught fire and half of the building
destroyed. Added hazards in 1925 were the location of the Shell-Mex
petroleum tanks next to the maltings, and tar wagons in the railway
yard opposite: both long since gone. On that occasion,the maltings
were part of a commercially successful operation, and were quickly
rebuilt. Their future now is much less certain, but it is to be hoped
that they can be retained and a new use found for them."
So I'm not a professional and I don't have the best SLR but I have
tried my best
Thanks for looking
