Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

The Marsh Gunpowder Works were established in 1789 as part of the Royal Gunpowder Works in Faversham. They closed down around 1930. along with the most of the rest of the explosives industry in Faversham. The site is now subject to extensive gravel extraction.

Monument Types

• GUNPOWDER WORKS (Post Medieval to Modern - 1789 AD to 1930 AD?)

Full description

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TR 013626 The Marsh Works, gunpowder factory, was established to the NW of Faversham town in 1786, for the purpose of handling some of the more dangerous processes previously carried out by Home Works (TR 06 SW 45). After the Napoleonic Wars it was acqured by John Hall, a Dartford engineer, who opened the world's first gun cotton factory there in 1846. Manufacture was abandoned after a disastrous explosion in the following year. The works eventually became a part of ICI Ltd, who ceased gunpowder production at Faversham in 1934. The workshops, offices and stores of the Marsh Works still remain, used by a gravel company. (1-2)

The Marsh Works, gunpowder factory, TR 013626, was established in 1786, after a disastrous explosion at the Home Works (TR 06 SW 45) to undertake some of the more dangerous processes away from the town centre. At this date it was part of the Royal Gunpowder Factory, in 1832 it was leased to John Hall and Son who eventually bought the factory in 1854 thereby gaining control over all of the gunpowder
mills in Faversham. In 1846 they established the first guncotton factory (TR 06 SW 153) in the world at the Marsh Works, but after an explosion in 1847 this part of the operation was closed down. In1898 the works was incorporated into Curtis's and Harvey Ltd, after the downturn at the close of the Great War it passed to a holding company Explosive Trades Ltd shortly afterwards it became part of Nobel Industries Ltd finally becoming part of ICI in 1926 (3a, 3b).

The period of time that the works spent in government ownership has ensured that a number of detailed plans have survived showing both the position and function of buildings. The earliest one of these dates from 1806 (3c). This shows the dispersed nature of the site with the buildings connected by a leat system. The leat system at these works was probably primarily used for the transportation of
gunpowder by punt between the various processing buildings. The siting of this works on a sea marsh precluding the necessary ground fall to enable machinery to be turned by water. A plan made in 1821
(3d) shows the plan of the works unchanged, although a number of buildings have apparently been given new functions. A further plan was made in 1831 (3e), probably in anticipation of the lease of the
works to John Hall and Sons in the following year. This plan shows no change to the layout of the works within the intervening period.

1.2500 Ordnance Survey maps consulted during the investigation revealed few modifications to the layout of the works during the late nineteenth century. The principle alteration appears to be the replacement of the drying stoves by the later identified glazing and corning houses, nos. 9 and 10 RCHME plan. A factory plan made in 1920 (3f) shows a rationalised leat system, some of the transportation of materials around the works now being carried by a tramway system. The majority of the buildings shown in 1806 appear to be extant at this date, although there had been considerable
development in the south west corner of the works, and rebuilding in the corning house area discussed above. To the west of the Marsh Works a fuse factory (TR 06 SW 127) had been established.

By 1926 ICI had concentrated its production of gunpowder within England at Faversham, around 50,000 was spent on modernisation of the factories around the town (3g). By 1934 the threat of attack from the continent combined with a desire to further rationalise the production of gunpowder led to the decision to concentrate production at Ardeer in Scotland. The Faversham works were sold, some of the
more modern machinery was moved to Scotland most however was scrapped and the land sold. The works site and buildings were occupied by a maintenance unit of the REME during the second world war. Most of the land formerly occupied by the Marsh Works was finally acquired by a gravel company who had quarried away most of the site by late 1991.

However a number of the less specialised buildings have survived such as stores and workshops. The majority of the surviving buildings may be located on the 1806 plan of the works and therefore may be
presumed to date from at least the early nineteenth century. In the north west corner of the site close to the cylinder house (17) parts of the leat system including a bridge (16) have survived.

A single base stone [164/k/24] TR 01385 62428 from an incorporating mill survives close to a building used as a scout headquarters.It is 2.3m in diameter and 0.5m in depth, it is currently used as a base
to a flag pole.

Stored within the works at the time of investigation were 7 cannons formerly used as gate bollards [164/K/27-30] at the Marsh Works and the Oare Works (TR 06 SW 65). 3 cannons were 1.85m in the length the remainder were 2.63m. 2 cannon remain in situ along Ham Road, north of the entrance lodge. In the garden of the entrance lodge is the cast iron carriage of a proof mortar.

Inventory of surviving buildings

The surviving buildings of the gunpowder works have been identified on a penned diagram N.A.R. Cat. no. 2655. The functions of the buildings have been identified from a plan of the works made by
Nobels Explosives Co. Ltd. in 1920 (Nobel, 1920). The details can be seen in the individual child records.

A large portion of the site has been removed gravel extraction. Buried archaeological remains may survive around the edges of the gravel pits. No attempt was made during this investigation to locate
the sites of demolished buildings or to ascertain whether or not they have quarried away. Amongst the important components known to have existed during the early nineteenth century include, steam engine houses and steam gunpowder drying stoves.

The current 1.2500 depiction of the site is correct for mapping purposes.

The guncotton factory is now recorded as a separate site TR 06 SW 153. (1-14) and photographs relevant to the site (15-48).

The Marsh Works site ceased explosives production in the 1920s. The site and its surrounds are now (2007) the location of extensive gravel extraction by Bretts Aggregates. [49]

Historic England archive material (50)

Assessment reports (51-53)

In 2019 an historic building recording of the former Marsh Gunpowder Works buildings now situated within the former Oare Mineral Works, Faversham, Kent was completed in advance of works to the designated and non- designated heritage assets. (54)

<1> Arch J 126 1969 252 (AJ Percival) (OS Card Reference). SKE36556.

<2> Ind Arch of SE Eng 1978 40 (A.Haselfoot) (OS Card Reference). SKE44227.

<3> Marsh Gunpowder Works ink (Graphic material). SKE6414.

<4> RCHME/NMR, 1996, RCHME : Faversham Explosives Industry (Collection). SKE6479.

<5> Percival, A J. 1967. Faversham's Gunpowder Industry, Faversham Paper No.4 (OS Card Reference). SKE48505.

<6> Public Record Office MPH/837 Plan of Marsh Works 1806 (OS Card Reference). SKE48901.

<7> Public Record Office WO55/2466 Plan of Marsh Works 1821 (OS Card Reference). SKE48904.

<8> Public Record Office WO55/2575 Plan of the Ordnance land and showing the works and buildings connect (OS Card Reference). SKE48905.

<9> Nobel Industries LTD plan of Oare and Marsh Works 1920 H.O.D 30-10 (OS Card Reference). SKE47668.

<10> Render, W J. 1970. Imperial Chemical Industries: A History Volume 1. The Forerunners 1870-1926. Lond (OS Card Reference). SKE49157.

<11> Nobel Industries Ltd Faversham factory details of charcoal burning reports, 1925 H.O.D 30-238 (OS Card Reference). SKE47667.

<12> Crocker, G. 1988. Gunpowder Miller Gazetteer SPAB (OS Card Reference). SKE39492.

<13> Wayne Cocroft/21-NOV-1991/RCHME: Faversham's Explosives Industry. (OS Card Reference). SKE51280.

<14> CHARGE HOUSE TR 01269 62711. Types: BUILDING (Photograph). SKE862.

<15> MEAL ROOMS TR 01340 62688 FROM EAST. Types: BUILDING (Photograph). SKE847.

<16> GLAZING HOUSE? DOOR TO STAGGERED ENTRANCE FROM S.W. TR 01500 62842 Types: BUILDING (Photograph). SKE849.

<17> CYLINDER HOUSE (TR 01130 63118). Types: BUILDING (Photograph). SKE815.

<18> COTTAGE - HAM ROAD FAVERSHAM FROM EAST. Types: HOUSE (Photograph). SKE836.

<19> COTTAGE, STORE, OFFICE, LABORATORY TR 01316 62734 FROM SOUTH WEST. Types: BUILDING (Photograph). SKE846.

<20> MILLWRIGHTS SHOP AND OIL STORE - FROM S.W. TR 01340 62688. Types: BUILDING (Photograph). SKE845.

<21> CARPENTERS SHOP FROM N.E. Types: BUILDING (Photograph). SKE844.

<22> CANNON - FORMER GATE BOLLARDS AT OARE AND MARSH WORKS. Types: CANNON (Photograph). SKE863.

<23> STORE FROM SOUTH WEST. TR 01300 62758 Types: BUILDING (Photograph). SKE864.

<24> STORE - FROM S.E. (TR 01320 62776) Types: BUILDING (Photograph). SKE843.

<25> CORNING HOUSE WALL (TR 01574 62795) SOUTH SIDE OF WALL. Types: BUILDING (Photograph). SKE854.

<26> CANNON - FORMERLY USED AS GATE BOLLARDS AT OARE AND MARSH WORKS. Types: CANNON (Photograph). SKE861.

<27> STORE FROM EAST. (Photograph). SKE873.

<28> STORE - ROOF TRUSS. Types: BUILDING (Photograph). SKE872.

<29> CANNON - FORMER GATE BOLLARDS AT OARE AND MARSH WORKS. Types: CANNON (Photograph). SKE860.

<30> CANNON - FORMER GATE BOLLARDS AT OARE AND MARSH WORKS. Types: CANNON (Photograph). SKE859.

<31> STORE - ROOF TRUSS. Types: BUILDING (Photograph). SKE871.

<32> STORE TR 01338 62736 FROM N.E. Types: BUILDING (Photograph). SKE870.

<33> WATCH HOUSE (TR 01340 62362) FROM WEST. Types: BUILDING (Photograph). SKE858.

<34> MILLSTONE - TR 01385 62428 FROM EAST. Types: MILLSTONE (Photograph). SKE857.

<35> SALTPETRE STORE - TR 01076 63170 - SALTPETRE STORE FROM SOUTH. Types: BUILDING (Photograph). SKE866.

<36> CORNING HOUSE WALL (TR 01574 62795). NORTH SIDE OF WALL . Types: BUILDING (Photograph). SKE855.

<37> GLAZING HOUSE? FROM N.E. TR01500 62842 Types: BUILDING (Photograph). SKE848.

<38> GENERAL VIEW OF WORKS FROM NORTH. Types: BUILDING (Photograph). SKE853.

<39> CHARGE HOUSE (TR 01269 62711) Types: BUILDING (Photograph). SKE852.

<40> COTTAGE, STORE, LABORATORY. TR 01316 627 34 FROM N.E. Types: BUILDING (Photograph). SKE869.

<41> MOUND, SHOWING ENTRANCE TO TUNNEL FROM N.E. TR 01536 62816 Types: BUILDING (Photograph). SKE851.

<42> MOUND, ENGINE AND BOILER HOUSE FROM S.E. TR 01536 62816 SHOWING ENTRANCE TO TUNNEL. Types: BUILDING (Photograph). SKE850.

<43> BRIDGE - FROM N.W. TR 01100 63134 FROM N.W. Types: BRIDGE (Photograph). SKE868.

<44> SALTPETRE STORE TR 01076 63170 FROM NORTH. Types: BUILDING (Photograph). SKE867.

<45> BRIDGE TR 01100 63134 FROM S.E. Types: BRIDGE (Photograph). SKE826.

<46> TRUSS TENSIONED BEAM - TR 01144 63144 FROM WEST. (Photograph). SKE865.

<47> MOUND AND CORNING HOUSE WALL FROM SOUTH. TR 01536 62816 Types: BUILDING (Photograph). SKE856.

<48> 1946, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9616.

<49> Dr Patricia Reid, 2007, The Marsh Works site in 2007 (Verbal communication). SKE13087.

<50> Historic England, Archive material associated with The Marsh Gunpowder Works, Listed Buildings (Archive). SKE54494.

<51> The Cranstone Consultancy, 1993, Monuments Protection Programme: The Gunpowder Industry Combined Steps 1-3 Report (Unpublished document). SKE17244.

<52> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments in England, 1994, The Marsh Gunpowder Works (Unpublished document). SWX6964.

<53> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments in England, 1994, The Marsh Gunpowder Works (Unpublished document). SWX6964.

<54> Headland Archaeology (UK) Ltd, 2019, Historic Building Recording of the Marsh Gunpowder Works within the Former Oare Mineral Works, Faversham, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE54278.

Sources and further reading

Related records

Related thematic articles

• Industrial Kent (Thematic Essay)