Croggons Tannery Cornwall 2011

[flava]

Croggons tannery ran from 1712 to 2002. Tanning took a long time. After washing, hides were placed in lime solution for two to three weeks to remove hair. Hides were then laid flat in vats with oak bark (or ground Turkish acorns after 1889) between the layers and soaked in tannin for 18 months to two years. Argentinian and Dutch hides were tanned with local hides and shipped out of Charlestown.

In the early 20th century the number of Cornish tanneries declined from over 18 to two and from 1952 Croggons was the only Cornish tannery. Apart from the tannery Grampound is best known as Cornwall's most corrupt parliamentary borough. Several Croggons elected MPs there up to 1820.

On with the shots

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[King Al]

Great pics flava, looks like theres lots of interesting artifacts like the scales

 

[Badoosh]

So the original person who posted this elsewhere has had their wishes to keep this site anon ignored. Bound to happen at some point I suppose.

 

[jjstenso]

So the original person who posted this elsewhere has had their wishes to keep this site anon ignored. Bound to happen at some point I suppose.

Exactly my thoughts, hopefully someone thoughtful will take action to conserve this.

 

[flava]

So the original person who posted this elsewhere has had their wishes to keep this site anon ignored. Bound to happen at some point I suppose.

This site has 2 months left if that so don't really see what the big deal is to be honest

 

[dangerous dave]

the site is being cleared rapidly limited point in keeping it low profile when the owners are stripping the site so they can build houses and office units

 

[Scaramanger]

Some good shots there flava. That camera & lens combo don't seem to perform to bad..

See it while you can folks the bulldozer awaits......

 

[RichardH]

Having had the "pleasure" of smelling a (very small scale) working tannery, I can't look at pictures of such places without feeling nauseous.

 

[muppet]

took a look around here over the weekend a real timewarp . shame to see it flatend . thanks for posting

 

[Foxylady]

Really like this site. A crying shame that it's going to be demolished. There's a working one near me that still uses the traditional method of oak bark chips, and it's run by water power. Fascinating places.

 

[RichardH]

Really like this site. A crying shame that it's going to be demolished. There's a working one near me that still uses the traditional method of oak bark chips, and it's run by water power. Fascinating places.

Near you???

I am in awe of your nasal fortitude!

 

[Foxylady]

Near you???

I am in awe of your nasal fortitude!

Ah, when I say near me, it's about 4 or 5 miles away, and there was only a faint smell when I was on site. It probably depends which part of the process they're at. lol

Linky...

http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/showthread.php?t=10419&highlight=tannery+colyton

 

[Collingwood]

Ah, when I say near me, it's about 4 or 5 miles away, and there was only a faint smell when I was on site. It probably depends which part of the process they're at. lol

Linky...

http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/showthread.php?t=10419&highlight=tannery+colyton

Is this place in Colyton still there?

 

[Foxylady]

Is this place in Colyton still there?

Yes, it's a proper working mill...not a heritage place or anything.

 

[Molly]

My first post, after viewing many photos and posts here every day.

I used to work at a tannery in the early 1970's
H Bands and Sons in Brent Way - Brentford Middlesex.

Using an identical machine in your first picture - it was used to remove the hair from the cowshide.
The smell was discusting and the pile of cowhides, never seem to go down.

The rest of the site was used for making Vellum, on which all the laws of the country were written on - not sure that, that is the case today.

These pictures brought back some, I have to say happy memories - thanks for posting.

 

[RichardH]

Ah, when I say near me, it's about 4 or 5 miles away, and there was only a faint smell when I was on site. It probably depends which part of the process they're at. lol

Linky...

http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/showthread.php?t=10419&highlight=tannery+colyton

Ah yes, I remember it now. Splendid writeup, as usual.

I'm told that I have a particularly acute sense of smell (not having anything to compare it with, I don't know whether that's correct). In any case, what assailed my nostrils wasn't so much a smell as an invasive physical presence. *shudders*