Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Kings Mill was one of four mills, collectively known as the Home Works gunpowder mills, in and around Faversham (See TR 06 SW 45, 247 & 250). Converted from an existing corn mill in 1779, the Kings Mills were involved with the process of gunpowder production through to the inter-war period (1919 – 1934). The site of the mills is now covered by a housing development although a small brick lined culvert still survives.

Monument Types

• CORN MILL (Altered 1779, Post Medieval - 1700 AD? to 1779 AD (at some time))
• GUNPOWDER WORKS (Demolished, Post Medieval to Modern - 1779 AD to 1934 AD? (at some time))

Full description

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One of four groups of mills, collectively known as the Home Works gunpowder mills, in and around Faversham (See TR 06 SW 45, 247 – 250). Converted from an existing corn mill in 1779, the Kings Mills were involved with the process of gunpowder production through the 19th century and into the early 20th century when production in Faversham ended between 1919 and 1934. Plans and maps of the earlier 19th century show that these mills were water powdered, although by 1867 the pond supplying these mills is no longer shown and there is an engine house adjacent to the mills. The site of the mills is now covered by a housing development although a small brick lined culvert still survives (TR0112 6142). (11 & 20)

English Heritage Monuments Protection Programme, 1998, Monuments Protection Programme: Gunpowder Industry (Unpublished document). SKE7298.

<1> Wayne Cocroft/18-NOV-1991/RCHME: Faversham's Explosives Industry. (OS Card Reference). SKE51278.

<2> OS 25" 1907 (OS Card Reference). SKE48258.

<3> Arch J 126 1969 252 (A J Percival) (OS Card Reference). SKE36554.

<4> KAR 20 1970 4-7 photo (A Percival) (OS Card Reference). SKE45259.

<5> KAR 33 1973 89-92 (A H Osborne) (OS Card Reference). SKE45302.

<6> Industrial Arch 1976 220 (K Hudson) (OS Card Reference). SKE44291.

<7> Industrial Arch of SE England 1978 40 photo (A J Haselfoot) (OS Card Reference). SKE44295.

<8> National Trust Guide to our Industrial Past 1983 207 (A Burton) (OS Card Reference). SKE47519.

<9> DOE SAM Record Form 3 Nov 1986 Record Map 22 Nov 1972 (OS Card Reference). SKE40802.

<10> Crocker, G. 1988. Gunpowder Mills Gazetteer SPAB (OS Card Reference). SKE39493.

<11> RCHME/NMR, 1996, RCHME : Faversham Explosives Industry (Collection). SKE6479.

<12> West, J. 1991. Gunpowder, Government and War in the mid-eighteenth century. The Royal Historical So (OS Card Reference). SKE51315.

<13> Selkirk, A. 1967. The Faversham Gunpowder Mills. Current Archaeology 2 51-2 (OS Card Reference). SKE49436.

<14> Public Record Office MPH/857 Plan of the Gunpowder Manufactory at Faversham 1806. (OS Card Reference). SKE48902.

<15> Public Record Office W055/2466 PFNFP 58 Plan of the Gunpowder Manufactory at Faversham 1821 (OS Card Reference). SKE48903.

<16> London, Chatham and North Kent Railway 1846 Plan of the Gunpowder Works. (OS Card Reference). SKE46175.

<17> Eve, D., 1999, A guide to the Industrial Archaeology of Kent (Monograph). SWX9293.

<18> Bennett, C. E., 1977, The watermills of Kent, east of the Medway (Article in serial). SWX7608.

<19> WHITE HOUSE (TR0044 6114) LOWER ROAD, FAVERSHAM. FORMER GUNPOWDER MILLMANS HOUSE. Types: HOUSE (Photograph). SKE838.

<20> English Heritage, 1998, Monuments Protection Programme: Gunpowder Industry (Unpublished document). SWX6799.

<21> Royal Air Force, 1946, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9548.

Sources and further reading

Related records