# Sleaford Maltings: Floors are Overated...



## Reaperman (Jul 24, 2009)

I'd somehow never managed to visit Sleaford Maltings before so on a recent trip I was pleased that we made the time.

The Maltings were established by Bass in 1901, with production beginning in 1906. There are 8 Malt houses, Drying Kilns, Boiler House, Beam Engine House, Water Tower and Ancillary Buildings. Originally the Maltings were designed to have 16 malt houses which would have been opposite the current eight and would have doubled the size of the complex.

The malting's remained in production until 1958 when they were closed after changes to the way that malt was produced. The buildings went on to become a chicken farm / food process plant which ws closed following the construction of the neighboring housing estates.

The remaining buildings are grade 2* listed. 

In places the condition of Sleaford is excellent (anywhere with a stone or concrete floor) in others its very poor through rot and fire damage. In the first block we went in WOTS almost went through a floor that looked to be in reasonable condition. The state of the floors (or lack of them) made getting through each block interesting, especially on floor less walkways with 5 or 6 story drops below!

Anyway enough waffle more pictures:


*Frontage, with Chicken Cages*







*Inside a Malt House*






Walkways, Notice the main drive shaft that ran through all the Malt Houses from the Beam Engine house











More from the Malt Houses





















Fire Damage & Fooked Floors
















Beam Engine House, Water Tower and Chimney






No Floors at all






Lethal Walkways, 6 Floors up











Again a lack of floor, many of the I beams were no longer bolted or riveted where they had warped in the fire.
















Kiln











Inside the Boiler House





























​
Sorry its a bit picture intensive, this place is huge.


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## Runner (Jul 24, 2009)

Some nice shots there Reaper, really like the walkways and the inside the roof shots.
That place looks awesome, I can feel a visit coming on!

Thanks for posting.


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## Trinpaul (Jul 24, 2009)

Very nice pics  I always like seeing this place and you've got some really great perspective shots here that I have'nt seen before. Great work mate


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## Black Shuck (Jul 24, 2009)

Well done mate, those shots a fookin awesome! This place always looks very imposing to me but also very exciting. I am a bit of a Steam Buff and I realloy liked your shots of the Engine Hall. I wouldnt fancy those Floors though, I woul feel pretty ill


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## mr_bones (Jul 24, 2009)

This is truly the best report i've seen from Sleaford Maltings. It looks extremely appealing, especially with such a variation in condition throughout the buildings and some of the old fashioned equipment. I like all the walkways, even if they look a bit precarious and I REALLY want to see it for myself now. 

Hope the car didn't cause any more delays


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## Kaputnik (Jul 24, 2009)

Cracking pics there, Reaperman, when crashmatt and i went it was peeing it down so we knew to avoid the areas of floor where the rain was seeping in, as they'd most likely be rotten! tis a big old place to wander around isn't it, some very nice unspoilt original features to the place.


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## james.s (Jul 24, 2009)

Very nice report, I visited recently too and was about to post mine up - Oh well, I'll do one of the other sites I visited and put it up later 
Did you get up the water tower?


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## ThenewMendoza (Jul 24, 2009)

Sal and I were here a few weeks back, a really hot day+pigeon poo=stink. A great place though and some great pics.

M


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## The Pirate (Jul 24, 2009)

oops i fooked up


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## The Pirate (Jul 24, 2009)

Reaperman said:


> Again a lack of floor, many of the I beams were no longer bolted or riveted where they had warped in the fire.



At least you dressed well for the climbing  Great report


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## andy m (Jul 25, 2009)

Tremendous, probably the best report I've seen of this place. I'm planning on going for a look very soon, although I'm slightly wary now of going on my own if the floors are somewhat perilous........


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## waynezbitz1 (Jul 26, 2009)

this is a great place and excellent work on the report. i visited a few weeks back with the leicester guys and i certainly wasnt disapointed. but we did notice a few of the floors bad, espeacially the top floor of the first building (the chicken factory) we walked around the edge where it seemed safer.

this isnt an explore you should really do on your own as there are lots of ladders to climb and dodgy floors all over the place.
ive heard from people that visited this week that the pikeys have eventually found this place and have been pinching lead, did you see any of them there on your travels?

hmmm i wonder if the flag is still flying on the water tower????


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## thompski (Jul 26, 2009)

waynezbitz1 said:


> hmmm i wonder if the flag is still flying on the water tower????



Didn't see it on Wednesday mate.


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## Reaperman (Jul 26, 2009)

Cheers for all the comment's guys. We went to the top of the water tower but I never saw a flag up there. I thought that the evidence of pikeys on site was very limited. The height of the roofs, Lack of cables inside means that pickings for your average metal thief are actually pretty slim.


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## james.s (Jul 27, 2009)

The only pikey traces I noticed was the few scraps of lead discarded outside the gate. It was quite intact inside the non burnt bits.


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## freebird (Jul 27, 2009)

Excellent pics of the place. Brave fella! I wouldn't dare explore wearing sandals as they wouldn't be good with all the pigeon poo.  Yukk!


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## waynezbitz1 (Jul 27, 2009)

MD and little laura went up last week and he said to me that they were there removing parts of some lead work above the first building so they kept away from that bit.


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## sqwasher (Jul 28, 2009)

Great report, stunning pics! Looks a great place despite the lack of decent floors!


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## v-w-chick (Jul 28, 2009)

that place is huge!!!!!!! more photos the better i say


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