Sedgwick Gunpowder Works are in ruins – but thankfully there are loads of them!
On the banks of the River Kent, they established in 1857 and closed in 1935.
The company was established by Walter Charles Strickland of Sizergh Castle, and John Hudson of Kendal in 1857. The Sedgwick Gunpowder Company Ltd was granted its license, with John Hudson as Chairman, and William Cartmell as the resident Manager. £20,000 capital was made available with the intention of creating a state of the art mill, producing top quality powder.
The mill was powered by the River Kent and a sturdy headrace was constructed to deliver the water to the mills. The leats can still be traced around the site. The head race initially powered six incorporating mills, all of which were driven by a single 37 foot water wheel which generated an impressive 90hp.
An alternative leat was used to carry water to the sawmill where a turbine was powered.
The sulphur house, situated to the East of the incorporating mills, was the largest building at Sedgwick. The Glaze house, next to the river side, was powered by its own 18 ft water wheel!
The stove house used to dry the gunpowder in temperatures of around 126 degrees Fahrenheit. In 1858 the only other buildings here at Sedgwick were the mixing house and the cooperage, which still stand today.
The works dwindled and were reinvented as the New Sedgwick Gunpowder Works and a new 20 ft water wheel was built, as well as a tramway and a storage magazine. They were using the canal and railway and using the port of Milnthorpe to export the powder.
In 1871 the works felt the burn of its bounty and took a substantial blast! One worker died and several were injured and the rebuild took over a year to complete. That was only one of many devastating explosions on the site. It even suffered from lightening strikes!
Access is by permission of Kendal Caravan Club site wardens, when the site is open.
Check out Matthew Emmott’s excellent coverage of the site HERE!
Sedgwick Gunpowder Works are in ruins – but thankfully there are loads of them!
On the banks of the River Kent, they established in 1857 and closed in 1935.
The company was established by Walter Charles Strickland of Sizergh Castle, and John Hudson of Kendal in 1857. The Sedgwick Gunpowder Company Ltd was granted its license, with John Hudson as Chairman, and William Cartmell as the resident Manager. £20,000 capital was made available with the intention of creating a state of the art mill, producing top quality powder.
The mill was powered by the River Kent and a sturdy headrace was constructed to deliver the water to the mills. The leats can still be traced around the site. The head race initially powered six incorporating mills, all of which were driven by a single 37 foot water wheel which generated an impressive 90hp.
An alternative leat was used to carry water to the sawmill where a turbine was powered.
The sulphur house, situated to the East of the incorporating mills, was the largest building at Sedgwick. The Glaze house, next to the river side, was powered by its own 18 ft water wheel!
The stove house used to dry the gunpowder in temperatures of around 126 degrees Fahrenheit. In 1858 the only other buildings here at Sedgwick were the mixing house and the cooperage, which still stand today.
The works dwindled and were reinvented as the New Sedgwick Gunpowder Works and a new 20 ft water wheel was built, as well as a tramway and a storage magazine. They were using the canal and railway and using the port of Milnthorpe to export the powder.
In 1871 the works felt the burn of its bounty and took a substantial blast! One worker died and several were injured and the rebuild took over a year to complete. That was only one of many devastating explosions on the site. It even suffered from lightening strikes!
Access is by permission of Kendal Caravan Club site wardens, when the site is open.
Check out Matthew Emmott’s excellent coverage of the site HERE!
