Ive seen a few reports on here already on this place and used to work relatively close by in Norton Fitzwarren and never knew about it until I started UE. It was within solo mooch driving range so thought i'd have a look for myself.
I dropped the wife off at work early doors then made best speed to the location....
History - Tone Mills is a complete water-powered cloth finishing works, established by the Fox Brothers and Co at the confluence of the River Tone and the Back Stream and dates from 1830. The remains of the water wheel remain in-situ and so too do all the line shafting and gearing. The Mill later had an electric motor installed to supplement the water-wheel during times of drought, although the water wheel continued to be used for many decades after. Put simply the mill comprises of a number of key areas to accommodate the various stages of production: A Fulling area, where wet cloth was dried, scoured, cleaned and milled to the desired finish. A dying room, adjacent to the fulling area which specialised in producing an indigo colouring. Reservoirs and Sluice gates, to manage the flow of water into the wheel chamber. The wheel chamber and a later power house. The associated machinery for all the stages of production are all in-situ, making it an industrial archaeologists paradise. The works finally closed in 2000 and production was moved to a more contemporary location. The buildings and machinery are Grade II* listed. Tone Mill in Wellington is the last woollen mill in the West Country, with a priceless collection of original machinery still in place in the wet finishing works. The site is of European significance.
I only had 2 hours +/- a few minutes so made the best of what was about.
I had a good mooch around and found things I missed on my first circuit, I sloped into an opening that i'd missed and set up my camera only to have the shit literally sucked from me by a random cat jumping out and running off!!! 1x wide angle lens nearly kissed itself goodnight! On my way out I realised I'd missed an opening in the roof which was given away by the remains of a stairwell, I left my bag and climbed up to find another piece of ancient machinery and then found what looked like a loft with some sort of extraction pipe. Time was against me to get back to other commitments so saved that section for another day. From other reports i've seen it looks like I might have missed one or two bits and I take my hat off to those who endeavored to push on to them and the high stuff.
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It's picture heavy I know but there's so much.......Thanks for looking.
I dropped the wife off at work early doors then made best speed to the location....
History - Tone Mills is a complete water-powered cloth finishing works, established by the Fox Brothers and Co at the confluence of the River Tone and the Back Stream and dates from 1830. The remains of the water wheel remain in-situ and so too do all the line shafting and gearing. The Mill later had an electric motor installed to supplement the water-wheel during times of drought, although the water wheel continued to be used for many decades after. Put simply the mill comprises of a number of key areas to accommodate the various stages of production: A Fulling area, where wet cloth was dried, scoured, cleaned and milled to the desired finish. A dying room, adjacent to the fulling area which specialised in producing an indigo colouring. Reservoirs and Sluice gates, to manage the flow of water into the wheel chamber. The wheel chamber and a later power house. The associated machinery for all the stages of production are all in-situ, making it an industrial archaeologists paradise. The works finally closed in 2000 and production was moved to a more contemporary location. The buildings and machinery are Grade II* listed. Tone Mill in Wellington is the last woollen mill in the West Country, with a priceless collection of original machinery still in place in the wet finishing works. The site is of European significance.
I only had 2 hours +/- a few minutes so made the best of what was about.
I had a good mooch around and found things I missed on my first circuit, I sloped into an opening that i'd missed and set up my camera only to have the shit literally sucked from me by a random cat jumping out and running off!!! 1x wide angle lens nearly kissed itself goodnight! On my way out I realised I'd missed an opening in the roof which was given away by the remains of a stairwell, I left my bag and climbed up to find another piece of ancient machinery and then found what looked like a loft with some sort of extraction pipe. Time was against me to get back to other commitments so saved that section for another day. From other reports i've seen it looks like I might have missed one or two bits and I take my hat off to those who endeavored to push on to them and the high stuff.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
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8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
It's picture heavy I know but there's so much.......Thanks for looking.
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