The Plough Maltings was constructed between 1899 and 1900 for the Bass Brewing Company under the guidance of their chief engineer Herbert Couchman. They are an early example of a ‘pneumatic’ malting house. In the brewing process, ‘malting’ is where the grain is traditionally spread across a floor, allowed to germinate and turned by means of manual labour. The grain in the Plough Maltings however was turned in large drums on the ground floor. The drums would be rotated whilst air was blown in, reducing labour requirements greatly.
The building was sold to Allied Breweries in the mid-60s for storage use. The maltings were Grade II listed in 1986 and currently have planning permission to be converted to residential use.
From the front - the large water tower has been converted into a goods lift sometime in the 1960's. It's still possible to climb to the top but probably not worth getting coated in shit to see an ariel view of Burton.
Ground floor - this is where the rotating drums containing the grain would have been
First floor - a large open space which probably would have been where the grain was screened to remove loose chaff. A period sign in the corner seems to confirm this.
At the other end of the first floor is where the 'kiln floor' is. Heat would have risen up from fires on the ground floor and passed through the pierced clay tiles of the kiln floor to halt the germination of the grain. Now the kiln floor is home to some mountainous piles of pigeon sh!t.
Some other areas of interest include a room full of wooden shelves dating from the 60's and a couple of walkways above the screening area which have some nice retro light fittings.
An old sign obscured by some shelving
On the roadside in front of the Maltings are a row of derelict buildings - the crumbling white building is the former Plough Inn from which the maltings got its name.
A last shot inside one of the former offices, all very rotten and well past it.
Thanks for looking.
The building was sold to Allied Breweries in the mid-60s for storage use. The maltings were Grade II listed in 1986 and currently have planning permission to be converted to residential use.
From the front - the large water tower has been converted into a goods lift sometime in the 1960's. It's still possible to climb to the top but probably not worth getting coated in shit to see an ariel view of Burton.
Ground floor - this is where the rotating drums containing the grain would have been
First floor - a large open space which probably would have been where the grain was screened to remove loose chaff. A period sign in the corner seems to confirm this.
At the other end of the first floor is where the 'kiln floor' is. Heat would have risen up from fires on the ground floor and passed through the pierced clay tiles of the kiln floor to halt the germination of the grain. Now the kiln floor is home to some mountainous piles of pigeon sh!t.
Some other areas of interest include a room full of wooden shelves dating from the 60's and a couple of walkways above the screening area which have some nice retro light fittings.
An old sign obscured by some shelving
On the roadside in front of the Maltings are a row of derelict buildings - the crumbling white building is the former Plough Inn from which the maltings got its name.
A last shot inside one of the former offices, all very rotten and well past it.
Thanks for looking.
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