Intro
Another art deco era industrial site that's been hidden away for quite a while. It has not been touched for 31 years and just goes to show how stunning industrial architecture really was. This place was built to be looked at and it's a ridiculous shame that this place isn't part of the museum that now occupies the main building. It's all tiled, control panel/inspection panel, massive tanks, all sorts of machinery and intricate decorations. I would love to see this as part of the museum in the future!
Enjoy
History
This took a while to gather up and collect and unfortunately, there really isn't that much available. But to kick it off, here's an interesting article about the site.
The building explored is the chemical filter building, it was used to filter the water and clean it for the Chelmsford waterworks site. Inside it housed the tanks and equipment to do this, laboratories to check and maintain everything and also the quality inspection/testing section where they would test the water to make sure it was fit for purpose.
Workers would use chemicals to correct/clean the water, large tanks inside the building were used to apply these chemicals to the water and mix them. The tanks are very big and I could only assume the noise would have been quite impressive.
The buildings houses a striking late art deco style, both inside and out and was built in 1956 as the site expanded and needed more room to do what it needed to do.
By 1984 Langford waterworks had been constructed and took over Chelmsford waterworks's job and closed it down. The council then set up Sandford mill museum.
My Visit
Visited with a friend who had spotted random demolition signs elsewhere on the site, he forgot to mention the building in question was art deco, if he had I would've dropped everything and taken a visit asap!
Managed to suss out access which was not easy but rewarding.
In we were, wow, what a place. Reminds me a lot of Burbidges in Beckton, another chemical plant that has sat derelict for 30/40+ years! Amazing untouched art deco tiles covered everything and it was absolutely stunning to see it! Completely unexpected and beautiful. Hopefully this report documents it's beauty and another piece of Chelmsford's history. After all that's a big part of the reason I'm posting this. I would love to see this saved! It's very structurally sound and the building is in immaculate condition.
Enjoy the photos, this place is VERY photogenic!
The Pictures
Visited on such a nice day, the sun just reflected everywhere inside and shone upon the place amazingly.
The frontage
From across the canal
Staircase, control panel, tiles, done
The tanks! All 6 of them!
Laboratory
Mixing plant
2nd Mixing room
Other plant room
Another art deco era industrial site that's been hidden away for quite a while. It has not been touched for 31 years and just goes to show how stunning industrial architecture really was. This place was built to be looked at and it's a ridiculous shame that this place isn't part of the museum that now occupies the main building. It's all tiled, control panel/inspection panel, massive tanks, all sorts of machinery and intricate decorations. I would love to see this as part of the museum in the future!
Enjoy
History
This took a while to gather up and collect and unfortunately, there really isn't that much available. But to kick it off, here's an interesting article about the site.
The building explored is the chemical filter building, it was used to filter the water and clean it for the Chelmsford waterworks site. Inside it housed the tanks and equipment to do this, laboratories to check and maintain everything and also the quality inspection/testing section where they would test the water to make sure it was fit for purpose.
Workers would use chemicals to correct/clean the water, large tanks inside the building were used to apply these chemicals to the water and mix them. The tanks are very big and I could only assume the noise would have been quite impressive.
The buildings houses a striking late art deco style, both inside and out and was built in 1956 as the site expanded and needed more room to do what it needed to do.
By 1984 Langford waterworks had been constructed and took over Chelmsford waterworks's job and closed it down. The council then set up Sandford mill museum.
My Visit
Visited with a friend who had spotted random demolition signs elsewhere on the site, he forgot to mention the building in question was art deco, if he had I would've dropped everything and taken a visit asap!
Managed to suss out access which was not easy but rewarding.
In we were, wow, what a place. Reminds me a lot of Burbidges in Beckton, another chemical plant that has sat derelict for 30/40+ years! Amazing untouched art deco tiles covered everything and it was absolutely stunning to see it! Completely unexpected and beautiful. Hopefully this report documents it's beauty and another piece of Chelmsford's history. After all that's a big part of the reason I'm posting this. I would love to see this saved! It's very structurally sound and the building is in immaculate condition.
Enjoy the photos, this place is VERY photogenic!
The Pictures
Visited on such a nice day, the sun just reflected everywhere inside and shone upon the place amazingly.
The frontage
From across the canal
Staircase, control panel, tiles, done
The tanks! All 6 of them!
Laboratory
Mixing plant
2nd Mixing room
Other plant room
