Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Formerly used for sheet making,the brick L-shaped range was built by 1871,although the form altered considerably by 1898.The building became a pattern making workshop by the early C20 & is now an enterprise centre.

Monument Types

• SITE (Unknown date)
• ENGINEERING WORKSHOP (ENGINEERING WORKSHOP, Post Medieval to Modern - 1840 AD to 1950 AD)

Full description

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Formerly a wagon sheet shop, later pattern making, this brick L-shaped building was build around 1871. The main and widest section is of 20 bays, It was probably originally single storey, but a floor has been inserted at a later date.

The roof was replaced in the 1950 and the building is now used as an Enterprise Center. (1)


The original building was constructed sometime between 1853 and 1870, consisting of a single-storey brick building with a pitched roof, and a narrow L-shaped wing at the east end, and a similar wing on the west end. By 1898 the west wing had been demolished and a new block was erected to the west. When the works was reorganised in 1909 the building was being used for sheet-making, which was then changed to pattern-making. More windows were added at this point in the southern wall to reflect the greater need for light for the new process. The building was also used as a 'grease store and grease shop', a 'palm oil store', and a 'coal grinder'. Relatively recently, prehaps after 1982, the SW corner of the building was rebuilt with an inverted plan to accommodate the line of a railway track in the vicinity. The building was laterly used as an 'enterprise centre' and included rehersal rooms and art studios. Since 1996 the building has been vacant. (2)

Additional bibliography. (3-4)

<1> RCHME, 1991, The Railway Works Ashford, rchme page 15 (Unpublished document). SKE6767.

<2> Museum of London Archaeology Service, 2008, 'Building 2' Former Newtown Railway Works, New Town Road, Ashford: Archaeological standing building survey (Unpublished document). SKE16612.

<3> Alan Baxter & Associates, 2004, Ashford Railway Works - Historic Buildings Assessment (Unpublished document). SKE16615.

<4> Museum of London Archaeology, 2008, Newtown Railway Works, New Town Road, Ashford: A Standing Building Survey Report (Unpublished document). SKE16614.

Sources and further reading

Related records