It should not be assumed that this site is publicly accessible and it may be on private property. Do not trespass.

Monument details

HER Number:	TQ 67 SW 459
Type of record:	Monument
Name:	Northfleet Cement Works

Summary

Cement Works operating form at least the 1840s, there are many chalk pits, tunnels and other associated features within the area (Location accurate to 2m based on available information.)

Grid Reference:	TQ 62070 74786
Map Sheet:	TQ67SW
Parish:	GRAVESEND, GRAVESHAM, KENT

Monument Types

CEMENT WORKS (Post Medieval to Modern - 1840 AD? to 2008 AD)

Full description

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Portland cement works, operated by Frost among others dating at least from c1833 on a site likely to have been used since the Roman era for lime burning. Traces of a bank of kilns probably dating from Frost's time have been found on site during redevelopment. The works were taken over by a partnership of Knight, Bevan and Sturge in 1851-3. By 1869 there were 17 kilns, 8 wash mills, slurry backs 500 feet by 120 feet and drying flats of 150 x 75 feet. John Knight lived at Hive House. In 1876 Thomas Bevan became sole owner. The quarry was south of Northfleet linked by a two feet eight and a half inch gauge tramway with a tunnel under the higher ground. The works became part of APCM in 1900 and were rebuilt 1903-7 and again in 1926-7 when it was equipped with the then largest size of rotary kiln. Chalk was moved to the works as a slurry by puimps, although by now there was a standard gauge rail link. Latterly the works has been operating a battery of more modern rotary kilns. Site likely to be cleared for development. (1,2)

The buildings at the site and a concise history of the different names and faces of the cement works various other structures in and around the site is given in a Building Recording Report by Karl Hulka and Ignus Froneman formerly of CgMs Consulting. (3)

Location accurate to 2m based on available information.

<1> Jim Preston Personal Communication (Verbal communication). Ske13236.

<2> Jim Preston Personal Communication (Verbal communication). SKE13236.

<3> CgMs Consulting, 2011, Building Recording Report. The Lafarge Cement Works, Northfleet, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE30919.

Sources and further reading

Cross-ref.	Source description
<1>	Verbal communication: Jim Preston Personal Communication.
<2>	Verbal communication: Jim Preston Personal Communication.
<3>	Unpublished document: CgMs Consulting. 2011. Building Recording Report. The Lafarge Cement Works, Northfleet, Kent.

Related records

TQ 67 SW 614

Parent of: Tunnel at Northfleet Cement Works, later used as Second World War air raid shelter (Monument)