Week 21 - Chilworth Gunpowder Mills

52 Week Challenge, Week 21 – Chilworth Gunpowder Mills

Along the Tillingbourne river, just outside Guildford lay the remains of the Chilworth Gunpowder Mills and the “Middle Works” (the central section of production) are accessible to the public.

Chilworth Gunpowder Mills.jpg

Although I had heard of the mills before, in all the time I have lived in the area I had never got round to exploring them.

For over 300 years this was the site where gunpowder was manufactured, only ceasing production and closing in 1920.

The pictures in the panel show the remains of the

-1880’s Steam Incorporating Mills

-Side standing worn millstones used as accidental blast protection

-earth filled corrugated drums, placed to form blast mounds to absorb explosion energy

-expense magazine for storing materials between stages of manufacture

-mixing house and corning house (where an explosion in 1901 killed 6 men)

This is a Heritage Trail and there is great information available on site for an informed visit.

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Week 22 - Celebration of Colour

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Week 20 - Fitadogs