This place is up there with my all time favourite industrial spaces, it was a beautifully preserved unique structure constructed almost entirely of wood and iron which had a distinct American look to it from the outside. Sadly it was totally destroyed by a fire a couple of years ago now.
The Fisons site was allegedly, originally the location for the first ever complete superphosphate factory. During the mid 19th century, the increasing demand for new, more effective fertilisers for agriculture led to a search for a more effective substitute for crushed bones, the traditional source of fertiliser. Eventually Edward Packard discovered that the use of fossil dung found across East Anglia contained high levels of phosphate, the ideal base for fertiliser. Between 1851 and 1854, Packard constructed a warehouse at Paper Mill Lane in the village of Bramford just outside Ipswich and was soon pioneering the production of artificial fertilisers for horticulture on an huge scale. The site was ideal due to the combination of the River Gipping, which could be navigated by barges between Ipswich and Stowmarket from the late 18th century onwards and the addition of the railway line in 1846 provided the means to import raw materials and export fertilisers. Joseph Fison joined Edward Packard in 1858 and constructed his chemical works opposite the North Warehouse. The lower two floors of this factory/warehouse date from this time and bagging and storage took place here. These parts of the factory are identified on early Ordnance Survey maps as the Eastern Union Works, proving the North Warehouse was purpose-built and directly associated with the production of superphosphates.
The factory shut its doors in 2002 and has remained empty ever since.
I absolutely loved this place. It was a peaceful, calm place to be on a lovely summer afternoon especially after I'd had an extremely fraught stressful on-edge explore of Thamesteel in the morning so it was great to go somewhere we could chill out and soak up the sun without any stress. The Grade II listing attached to the building was sadly it's downfall in the end as it provided restricted scope for redevelopment and it then allowed a totally not suspicious at all fire to destroy it mere days before development was scheduled due to start.
Thanks for looking
The Fisons site was allegedly, originally the location for the first ever complete superphosphate factory. During the mid 19th century, the increasing demand for new, more effective fertilisers for agriculture led to a search for a more effective substitute for crushed bones, the traditional source of fertiliser. Eventually Edward Packard discovered that the use of fossil dung found across East Anglia contained high levels of phosphate, the ideal base for fertiliser. Between 1851 and 1854, Packard constructed a warehouse at Paper Mill Lane in the village of Bramford just outside Ipswich and was soon pioneering the production of artificial fertilisers for horticulture on an huge scale. The site was ideal due to the combination of the River Gipping, which could be navigated by barges between Ipswich and Stowmarket from the late 18th century onwards and the addition of the railway line in 1846 provided the means to import raw materials and export fertilisers. Joseph Fison joined Edward Packard in 1858 and constructed his chemical works opposite the North Warehouse. The lower two floors of this factory/warehouse date from this time and bagging and storage took place here. These parts of the factory are identified on early Ordnance Survey maps as the Eastern Union Works, proving the North Warehouse was purpose-built and directly associated with the production of superphosphates.
The factory shut its doors in 2002 and has remained empty ever since.
I absolutely loved this place. It was a peaceful, calm place to be on a lovely summer afternoon especially after I'd had an extremely fraught stressful on-edge explore of Thamesteel in the morning so it was great to go somewhere we could chill out and soak up the sun without any stress. The Grade II listing attached to the building was sadly it's downfall in the end as it provided restricted scope for redevelopment and it then allowed a totally not suspicious at all fire to destroy it mere days before development was scheduled due to start.
Thanks for looking
