Monument record MDO20254 - Grove Iron Works, West Road, Bridport

The Grove Iron Works were converted from a former bolling mill in 1809. The foundry has continued in use under different owners until the present day. A wide range of cast goods has been manufactured here including both agricultural and industrial machinery. The original three storeyed stone mill building still survives together with other industrial buildings of early-late 19th century date.

The Grove Iron Works were started in 1809 after Robert Sprake converted a bolling mill, formerly owned by Robert Gummer, into a foundry (1) (2). Sprake was an iron founder and flax machine maker. The original foundry was in the former mill building and was run by Sprake until his death in 1832. The foundry was taken over by Henry Sprake until his death in 1838. Gerald Samson, an ironmonger with premises originally in West Street then later in East Street, took over the ironworks by 1839. The Samson family ran the business until 1922. They produced a wide range of cast goods and both agricultural and industrial machinery. By the 1880s they were manufacturing steam engines, threshing machines, rollers, harrows, net-making machines, and mills for paint, corn, apples and curd. In the early 20th century they also produced domestic goods. A retail outlet was set up at the foundry in 1902. In 1922 the Foundry was bought by Paragon Engineering who continued to run the foundry until after WWII. It continued in use under a number of different owners until taken over by J I Blackburn Foundry Ltd in 1988. The furnaces and other manufacturing processes were modernised. It currently produces a range of iron, bronze and aluminium cast products including street furniture and architectural items. A subsidiary, Seawinch, produces castings for marine fishing equipment. (2) The original mill building still survives. It is a three storeyed stone building of four bays, with a corrugated asbestos roof. On the western elevation of the mill is a wide-arched window on the ground floor, which may be a former headrace arch. The mill building is continued to the north by a house, also of four bays and three storeys, of stone with a slate roof and coped gables. On the eastern side is a single storey brick extension with slate roof of probable late 19th century date. It is now truncated to the east. This housed the pattern shop. To the south and extending westwards from the mill is a mid-19th century single storeyed range of fifteen bays with stone arch-headed windows. This range contains the iron foundry and aluminium foundry. (3) The mill pond was filled in during the 1970s. <4> The main building is of 4 bays and 3 storeys, and is built of stone, with a corrugated asbestos roof. The range continues northwards as a house, also of 4 bays and 3 storeys, of stone with a slate roof and coped gables. The junction is not clear on the eastern elevation, although the mill appears to pre-date the house. At this position a single-storeyed, slate roofed, late-19th century brick extension extends eastwards, but is truncated at the eastern end. To the west of the mill extends a mid-nineteenth century, single storeyed range of 15 bays with stone arch-headed windows. On the western elevation of the mill, between the western range and the house, is a wide-arched window on the ground floor that could have been a former headrace-arch. The site is now in use as an iron foundry. <5>

Record last edited

Dec 20 2022 6:42PM