HERSTMONCEUX GENERATING WORKS

 

 

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ARCHAEOLOGY BOILER ROOM

 

 

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Second electricity generator mount, or orginal

 

 

Boiler room second (or first) engine mounting

 

 

 

Unfortunately, the boiler room was sold to the Weald Supply Company in the 1930's (thought to be C.1936) as part of the takeover and compensation package.  From the evidence to date it appears to have been dismantled and re-assembled further to the north-east.  This would also have allowed for the easier removal of the generating machinery, and is seen as part of the development on the districts electricity supply network.  The footings remain, as do the concrete mountings.  Other features include a complex water retrieval system, where rainwater was captured, filtered over successive height traps (of slate) and sediment beds and then fed into a pond or chamber.

 

 

 

 

Gas maker or coolant pump mount

 

 

Boiler or Pump Mount ?

   

 

At this time it is not clear if the  chamber was used to condense steam or to dissipate heat to cool the generating machinery, or indeed a mix of the two functions.  However, it is fed water from two rain water filters built of brick and slate, as seen in the picture below.    

           

 

 

 

Water collector slate filter, condensation coolant chamber

 

 

Water filter feeding rain to chamber 

 

 

 

 

  Cooling water, underground condensation chamber

 

 

Condensing/cooling chamber 

 

 

 

 

The cooling chamber holds about 2,600 gallons, useably. It is lined with waterproof render and built of brick as a subsurface structure. Such chambers were more commonly used with steam turbines from 1880 to condense steam vapour to water, or from 1890 as a heat sink to cool generating machinery.  However, it may have been used in a dual role with the reciprocating machinery and if that is so, then it was innovative cutting edge technology at the time.

 

 

 

 

Herstmonceux generating works, ancillary equipment concrete mountings

 

 

Other unidentified boiler room mounts

 

 

 

 

 

 

Herstmonceux Electricity Generating Works Circa. 1900 - 1936

 

 

Introduction  |  Instructions  |  ISBN  |  Batteries  |  Boiler Room   |  Floor Plan  |  Ron Saunders

 

Industrial Revolution  |   Lime Park  |  Machinery  |  Map  |  Power House  |  Argus 1999

 

Public Supply  |  Roof Construction  |  Rural Supply |  Sussex Express 1913  |  Conclusion

 

Archaeology South East   |   East Sussex CC  |  English Heritage |  SIAS  |  Sx Exp 1999

 

 

 

Herstmonceux Links Page

 

Wentworth House

 

 

 

 

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