Hello there peeps
When I first saw some pics of this place i just had to make a little visit whilst i was in the midlands. I hadn’t seen a maltings like this before, its symmetrical layout intrigued me with its series of rectangular brick buildings all linked together via steel walkways and covered corridors, along with its red brick chimney and small water.
So i left derby at 5am to get there before the morning rush hour and to have a good look about to try and suss things out, which luckily wasn’t as complicated as id imagined. The morning sun was just rising over the onion fields which gave the red brick a lovely warm glow. Once inside the grounds I took a few shots before I noticed sec unlocking the main palisade and driving in for their routine checks, this happened pretty regularly whilst i was there....apparently there have been a lot of lead thefts off the roofs, so if this helps stop the chavs from ruining such lovely buildings it’s a minor inconvenience jumping into bushes or acting like a post
A little history of the maltings......
The former Bass Maltings are a Grade II* listed complex built between 1901 and 1907 that consists of nine parallel ranges of brick buildings. They are one of the largest and most spectacular example of buildings of their kind in Britain.
The central block has an engine house and water tower which is flanked by six-storey malt houses on either side containing Steeps, Kilns and Granaries. It has a total floor space of 500,000 square feet and occupies a site of 13.3 acres with a frontage almost 1,000 ft long. Internally there is a substantial amount of surviving machinery and fittings relating to the maltings process....but the place was well sealed so I didn’t get to see any, only the fire damaged parts as their roofs were missing. The engines from the water tower have been removed and housed in the Bass Museum in Burton on Trent
Associated with the main maltings buildings are the former Mess Rooms. In separate ownership are also the former Company Housing, Cart Shed, Stables, Weigh Office and other ancillary buildings.
The buildings overlook open countryside but it is physically very close to the centre of Sleaford, separated only by the railway line.
Maltings operations ceased in 1959 and the buildings were subsequently used for poultry farming and vegetable processing.
An application in 1982 to demolish the Maltings was refused at appeal in 1984
The leasehold has been acquired by Gladedale Special Projects Ltd, a developer with a track record of regenerating historic buildings and is working along with English Heritage to design a sympathetic development for the site. Proposals include 204 residential dwellings, healthcare and community facilities, retail and restaurant space.
Now for some pics
From the distance they still look impressive
opposite the long frontage along the south boundary are several small scale domestic buildings which were used as staff facilities and offices
Inside one of these domestic buildings
This shows the scale of the tall granaries compared to the new houses built near to the site
Alleys or lanes create the spaces between the buildings forming 'streets' eight metres wide, finished in granite sets with granite kerbs and narrow pavements in blue engineering bricks.
Conveyor bridges are the timber clad double height bridges carrying conveyors, running east-west from the central Granaries.
The water tower and engine room is a brick structure with iron roof trusses. The water tank is at the top of the tower and can be accessed through a very tight pipe-like vertical ladder...which i didn’t go up as i was by myself i had visions of me getting stuck and no one to give me a kick free
The first floor of the water tower....them pigeon poo sculptures on the wheel must have taken a good few years to reach that height
The next level up
Up again...
The “tube” up to the water tank on the roof can be seen up on the right
See it is a bit of a tight squeeze and im not too good in confined spaces, especially if i think i could get trapped and im alone, i wud have given it a go otherwise as i hear the view is great
One off its former uses
View from the water tower...at least 6 of the buildings have their upper levels gutted by fire
Some of the many wheels and cogs
Transmission bridges span between the buildings at the south end consist of steel and cast iron structures with timber deck and iron and timber guarding.
I had a look inside one of these.....what are they called!?? I can’t find the name for these shed like things but ive come across them several times recently
I did try and be “responsible” and turn off the tap as the site was flooded as it was jammed open, but i had only had 2 weetabix that morning so i knew it weren’t gona budge
Germinating Floors have masonry perimeter walls with cast iron columns and concrete floors formed around steel secondary beams with the floors finished in quarry tiles.
I know sorry another lone chair shot
Inside one of them shed things....a huge roll of brown paper was suspended in the hole
one of the very few pieces of paperwork i found.....it explains the large stacks of poultry containers at the front of the site
More clues of its former uses....this is at the rear of the site next to the railway tracks
Rail sidings and canopies to the north on the buildings are timber canopies to protect grain during loading and unloading
The back of the water tower
Great cast iron spiral staircase that “bores” its way through to the level above
Thats all folks.....thanks for loookin, safe splores
When I first saw some pics of this place i just had to make a little visit whilst i was in the midlands. I hadn’t seen a maltings like this before, its symmetrical layout intrigued me with its series of rectangular brick buildings all linked together via steel walkways and covered corridors, along with its red brick chimney and small water.
So i left derby at 5am to get there before the morning rush hour and to have a good look about to try and suss things out, which luckily wasn’t as complicated as id imagined. The morning sun was just rising over the onion fields which gave the red brick a lovely warm glow. Once inside the grounds I took a few shots before I noticed sec unlocking the main palisade and driving in for their routine checks, this happened pretty regularly whilst i was there....apparently there have been a lot of lead thefts off the roofs, so if this helps stop the chavs from ruining such lovely buildings it’s a minor inconvenience jumping into bushes or acting like a post
A little history of the maltings......
The former Bass Maltings are a Grade II* listed complex built between 1901 and 1907 that consists of nine parallel ranges of brick buildings. They are one of the largest and most spectacular example of buildings of their kind in Britain.
The central block has an engine house and water tower which is flanked by six-storey malt houses on either side containing Steeps, Kilns and Granaries. It has a total floor space of 500,000 square feet and occupies a site of 13.3 acres with a frontage almost 1,000 ft long. Internally there is a substantial amount of surviving machinery and fittings relating to the maltings process....but the place was well sealed so I didn’t get to see any, only the fire damaged parts as their roofs were missing. The engines from the water tower have been removed and housed in the Bass Museum in Burton on Trent
Associated with the main maltings buildings are the former Mess Rooms. In separate ownership are also the former Company Housing, Cart Shed, Stables, Weigh Office and other ancillary buildings.
The buildings overlook open countryside but it is physically very close to the centre of Sleaford, separated only by the railway line.
Maltings operations ceased in 1959 and the buildings were subsequently used for poultry farming and vegetable processing.
An application in 1982 to demolish the Maltings was refused at appeal in 1984
The leasehold has been acquired by Gladedale Special Projects Ltd, a developer with a track record of regenerating historic buildings
and is working along with English Heritage to design a sympathetic development for the site. Proposals include 204 residential dwellings, healthcare and community facilities, retail and restaurant space.Now for some pics
From the distance they still look impressive
opposite the long frontage along the south boundary are several small scale domestic buildings which were used as staff facilities and offices
Inside one of these domestic buildings
This shows the scale of the tall granaries compared to the new houses built near to the site
Alleys or lanes create the spaces between the buildings forming 'streets' eight metres wide, finished in granite sets with granite kerbs and narrow pavements in blue engineering bricks.
Conveyor bridges are the timber clad double height bridges carrying conveyors, running east-west from the central Granaries.
The water tower and engine room is a brick structure with iron roof trusses. The water tank is at the top of the tower and can be accessed through a very tight pipe-like vertical ladder...which i didn’t go up as i was by myself i had visions of me getting stuck and no one to give me a kick free
The first floor of the water tower....them pigeon poo sculptures on the wheel must have taken a good few years to reach that height
The next level up
Up again...
The “tube” up to the water tank on the roof can be seen up on the right
See it is a bit of a tight squeeze and im not too good in confined spaces, especially if i think i could get trapped and im alone, i wud have given it a go otherwise as i hear the view is great
One off its former uses
View from the water tower...at least 6 of the buildings have their upper levels gutted by fire
Some of the many wheels and cogs
Transmission bridges span between the buildings at the south end consist of steel and cast iron structures with timber deck and iron and timber guarding.
I had a look inside one of these.....what are they called!?? I can’t find the name for these shed like things but ive come across them several times recently
I did try and be “responsible” and turn off the tap as the site was flooded as it was jammed open, but i had only had 2 weetabix that morning so i knew it weren’t gona budge
Germinating Floors have masonry perimeter walls with cast iron columns and concrete floors formed around steel secondary beams with the floors finished in quarry tiles.
I know sorry another lone chair shot
Inside one of them shed things....a huge roll of brown paper was suspended in the hole
one of the very few pieces of paperwork i found.....it explains the large stacks of poultry containers at the front of the site
More clues of its former uses....this is at the rear of the site next to the railway tracks
Rail sidings and canopies to the north on the buildings are timber canopies to protect grain during loading and unloading
The back of the water tower
Great cast iron spiral staircase that “bores” its way through to the level above
Thats all folks.....thanks for loookin, safe splores
