Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Leigh Gunpowder Works est 1807 (or 1811), closed 1930s when production moved to Scotland. In later years it produced the relatively unusual 'brown' powder as well as black powder, production of which ceased in 1897. The final years of production concentrated on smokeless sporting powder. Overall layout of works are well preserved (though part of site has been cleared to build Smithkline Beecham Pharmaceuticals works) but there are no standing buildings, only leats, blast banks and building footings.

Images

Monument Types

• CANAL (CANAL, Post Medieval to Modern - 1807 AD? to 2050 AD?)
• GUNPOWDER WORKS (Abandoned, Post Medieval to Modern - 1807 AD? to 1939 AD?)

Full description

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Leigh Gunpowder Works est 1807 (or 1811), closed 1930s. Founded by members of the local Burton and Childern families together with Sir Humphrey Davy, being bought by Curtis and Harvey in 1859. In later years produced the relatively unusual 'brown' powder as well as black powder, production of which ceased in 1897. The final years of production concentrated on smokeless sporting powder. (1) Overall layout of works well preserved (though part of site has been cleared to build Smithkline Beecham Pharmaceuticals works) but there are no standing buildings, only leats, blast banks, building footings and some bedstones. The works is arranged around a canal running off the Medway at TQ 5620 4615 and returning to it at TQ 5786 4669. This was used both for powering water wheels and for transport.(1)

The site is privately owned and is an overgrown wilderness, with several remains of wheel pits, arranged in parallel between upper and lower mill streams. There is also a more substainial remains of apparently later water powered incorporating mills with fragments of iron edge runners lying nearby. (2)

The Leigh mills were established in 1811, after being bought by Curtis's & Harvey, clack powder was produced for the military and later smokeless sporting powders were made, this manufacturing was transferred to Tonbridge when the wroks at Glen Lean in Argyll closed. The factory closed and become derilict in the after 1931. (2)

In 2013 AOC Archaeology carried out an evaluation. Remains of structures relating to the 19th century gunpowder works were found across the site. (3) Further excavations in 2015 revealed the remains of a Boiler House for powering the mills on site in the late 19th century, and a group of structures associated with the manufacture of guncotton/cordite; a Wet Gun Cotton Store, an industrial Alcohol Store, a Poaching House, a Wringer House and a Box Store of a later date. (5)

The Cranstone Consultancy, 1993, Monuments Protection Programme: The Gunpowder Industry Combined Steps 1-3 Report (Unpublished document). SKE17244.

<1> G Crocker Gunpowder Mills Gazeteer 1988 (Gunpowder Mills Study group) (OS Card Reference). SKE43449.

<2> The Cranstone Consultancy, 1993, Tonbridge, Leigh Mills: Gunpowder Mills Gazetteer (Unpublished document). SKE17149.

<3> AOC Archaeology, 2013, Gunpowder Mills, Leigh, Tonbridge, Kent: Archaeological Evaluation Report and Historic Building Record (Unpublished document). SKE25219.

<4> CgMs Consulting, 2013, Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment: Gunpowder Mills, Leigh, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE25218.

<5> AOC Archaeology Group, 2017, Archaeological Investigation at Gunpowder Mills, Leigh, Kent, An Excavation and Analysis Report (Unpublished document). SKE52716.

Sources and further reading

Related records

Related thematic articles

• Industrial Kent (Thematic Essay)