Exploring Kent's Past

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

Monument details

Summary

Triangular parcel of land to the North of Galley Hill Road and west of Lower Road. By the later 19th the Northfleet Paper Mills were established on site, with the Britannia Cement Works directly to the east. The paper mill works comprised a linear arrangement of buildings with an integrated tramway, occupying the centre of the site. By the 1930s the paper mills were rebuilt, adopting much the same footprint as the older works and generally the site was enlarged (south) to include the Kent Kraft Mills (paper sacks), the British Vegetable Parchment (BVP) Mill and the Thames Tar Distillery to the north.

The layout of the former mills (as mentioned above), particularly the axis of the main buildings and internal roadways/tramway are generally preserved within the modern Kent Kraft Estate. The Kent Kraft mills, the BVP mill, the Tar Distillery and the bulk of the New Northfleet paper mill have been lost, although the westernmost section of the papermill survives.

Location accurate to 2m based on available information

Monument Types

• PAPER MILL (Demolished in part, Post Medieval - 1896 AD to 1896 AD (at some time))
• TRAMWAY (Post Medieval to Modern - 1896 AD? to 1960 AD?)

Full description

If you do not understand anything on this page please contact us.

Triangular parcel of land to the north of Galley Hill Road and west of Lower Road. By the later 19th century the Northfleet Paper Mills, shown on the 2nd Ed OS map, were established on site, with the Britannia Cement Works directly to the east. The paper mill works comprised a linear arrangement of buildings with an integrated tramway, occupying the centre of the site. By the 1930s the paper mills were rebuilt, adopting much the same footprint as the older works and generally the site was enlarged (south) to include the Kent Kraft Mills (paper sacks), the British Vegetable Parchment (BVP) Mill and the Thames Tar Distillery to the north. By this time the Britannia Cement Works (TQ 67 NW 97) have been largely demolished, although this may have relocated to a riverside site to the north-east.

The layout of the former mills (as mentioned above), particularly the axis of the main buildings and internal roadways/tramway are generally preserved within the modern Kent Kraft Estate. The site has seen considerable re-development and modernisation, resulting in the loss of the vast majority of the late 19th century and interwar buildings. The Kent Kraft mills, the BVP mill, the Tar Distillery and the bulk of the New Northfleet paper mill have been lost, although the westernmost section of the papermill survives (TQ60627505)

This factory building is a complex series of structures, although it predominantly comprises a large 10 bay double range with gables to the east and west and a north light roof. Brick-built and of pier and panel construction, the gables have circular ventilators (blocked), gable parapets and kneelers, while the long walls retain expanses of tall crittal-type fenestration. The building appears to be well maintained and is presently on the market. (1,2)

Location accurate to 2m based on available information

<1> Eve, David., 1999, The Cement Industry in Kent: Results of a Sites and Monuments Record Enhancement Project 1996 - 98 (Unpublished document). SKE12011.

<2> Essex County Council, 2003, Aggregates Levy Survey Industrial Sites, KN575 (Unpublished document). SKE12009.

Sources and further reading