Local one for me, and one which has proven a tough nut to crack in comparison to Tonedale Mill. I was tempted to go to one of the council's open days last summer purely to get a peek, but every weekend they had one on I was elsewhere in the country 😂
Explored twice to try and get decent shots, didn't much fancy waiting in case the access got burnt, so first visit was solo in the dark after a night shift. Much better lighting on the 2nd visit, with majority of the photos being from that visit.
The History
Stolen from myself, with some tweaks.
Original report (Here)
Boiler House/Looms (Here)
Background
Tonedale Mills, owned by the Fox Brothers, was the largest textiles mill in the South West, specialising in the production of Taunton Serge. This material was renowned for being a lightweight, yet sufficiently thick wool product. Production of Taunton Serge began during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I as a cottage industry ran by John Were of Pinksmoor Mill.
Later, Edward Fox married into the Were family by wedding Anna Were. In 1747 Thomas Fox, who would later go on to build up the Tonedale business, was born.
By 1750, the family had a Fulling Mill on the current site of the Tone Works, and the business thrived over the next 17 years. After training in the Netherlands and Germany, Thomas joined the business in 1768. He became a partner in 1772, and eventually the sole proprietor in 1796.
Tone Works
Tone Works was established in 1790, replacing the original Fulling Mill on the site. It served as the dedicated site for cloth finishing and dyeing operations within the Fox Brothers’ textile enterprise. Wool production processes would have also been carried out until the later acquisition of the Tonedale Mill site, when these were moved over to the mill.
Tone Works focused on wet finishing processes which consisted of washing, dyeing, and preparing the fabric for market. Its location on the banks of the River Tone was not accidental; the site was chosen to take full advantage of an abundant, reliable supply of clean water, which was essential both for powering machinery (initially via water wheels, later supplemented by steam and then electric power) and for the fabric treatment processes.
Key operational features included a carefully managed water system with reservoirs, sluice gates, and water treatment facilities to ensure the quality of the water used in dyeing. This water powered setup allowed the works to run a range of processes, such as the production of dyes (notably an early form of khaki used in military uniforms) and the large scale finishing of woollen and worsted cloth. In fact, records indicate that by the early 20th century Tone Works housed one of the largest indigo dye houses in England.
Tonedale Mills
In 1796, Thomas Fox purchased an old flour mill at Tonedale in order to centralise the works processes. This venture proved successful, with a marked increase in both quality and quantity of material produced.
The oldest mill on the site isn't fully original. Only the original walls and water power features remain, due to suffering a serious fire in 1821, sustaining severe damage. The staircases, floors and roof all date from the reconstruction, and the mill is probably the second oldest example of 'fireproof' cast iron-framed construction in the South West. The complex was a rare example in the Woollen industry, as it integrated ancillary processes on the same site.
Thomas Fox renamed the company to Fox Brothers in 1826. The business continued to thrive, at its peak employing 3,600 people at Tonedale, producing 6,500 metres of material each day. A further 1,400 people were employed in the wider business, with subsidiary factories at Cullompton, Culmstock, Uffculme, Wiveliscombe and Weston-Super-Mare. A further subsidiary was established with the acquisition of the William Bliss Mill, located in Chipping Norton, in 1900. Annual turnover peaked at £1.5m in 1919 (£61.6m equivalent today).
20th Century
Dyers working for Fox Brothers were instrumental in developing a khaki dye in 1900. It was first used by British soldiers in the Second Boer War (1899-1902). During WW1, 8000 miles of the material was produced, alongside 70,000 pairs of Puttees (a garment for the lower leg, between the ankle and the knee) per week. Puttee production continued into the 1980s, as some colonial forces still wore them.
The Mills stayed in full production until the 1980s, when operations were scaled back significantly. A small scale operation continues today on part of the site.
21st Century
Over its long industrial life, Tone Works evolved technologically while retaining much of its original character. Its surviving machinery and power systems make it a rare, near complete example of a 19th century cloth dyeing and finishing works.
Today, the historical significance of both sites is recognised by heritage bodies with the Tone Works under council ownership with ongoing conservation projects, which aim to preserve both its industrial fabric and the intricate water management systems.
Somerset Council is still actively involved in trying to secure and restore Tonedale Mill, but the situation remains complex. The property remains in the hands of Mancraft Ltd, who acquired it in 2014, and have been repeatedly ordered to carry out urgent repairs.
The council has been pursuing the recovery of costs – with current figures cited at around £370,000 – and has made clear that a compulsory purchase order (CPO) remains on the table as a last resort if negotiations continue to stall.
At the same time, the council is pressing ahead with urgent works funded by the Levelling Up grant, nearly £20 million has been earmarked for the combined regeneration of Tone Works and Tonedale Mill. However, progress on the mill has been slower than hoped, and there are indications that the regeneration project might face delays, possibly necessitating an extension of the funding deadline beyond March 2026.
Meanwhile, the owner, Amar Mehli of Mancraft Ltd, has stated his readiness to “turn the site around” and advance a redevelopment plan, although he has also rejected a previous offer from the council to purchase the site for around £4 million.
The Explore
Explore 1
Gaining access solo was a bit of a faff but was simple enough. The first room is dominated by a massive machine which is apparently a stenter (tenter) or ‘drying range’ used in the final stages of finishing.
In woollen mills, a stenter serves to dry the cloth under tension, set its width, and stabilize the fabric before or after other finishing steps (such as raising/cropping or pressing). The basic process is as follows;
Dries and Sets the Cloth Width:
The fabric edges are clipped or pinned to continuous chains, which keep it stretched to a precise width. Hot air (or sometimes steam) is circulated to dry the fabric and lock in that width.
Controls Shrinkage and Grain:
By controlling tension and heat, the mill ensures the cloth doesn’t shrink unevenly, keeping the weave straight.
Applies Finishing Treatments:
In some setups, resins or other finishes can be applied before or during the stenter run, so the cloth emerges with a desired hand or sheen.
Unfortunately as I found out whilst leaving, natural light in this area is pretty much non existent and the room layout is very tight, making decent shots of it a nightmare to get.
Stenter -
Compressor -
Patent Mark -
Made my way into the main part of the complex and was pleasantly surprised by how much was left in here along with the natural decay.
Apparently this area would have been the Dry Finishing Department with the machinery in the room consisting of Raising (or Gig) machines and cropping/shearing machines used to finish woollen or worsted cloth. At a traditional cloth finishing site like Tone Works, you would typically see rows of these large drum style machines on either side of an open walkway.
Raising (Gig) Machines
These have large rotating drums fitted with teasels or wire brushes. As the cloth passes over or between these drums, the surface fibres are gently lifted or “raised” to produce a softer, warmer nap on the fabric. These would appear to be the machinery bank on the right looking towards the road.
Cropping/Shearing Machines
After the nap is raised, the cloth often goes through a shearing (cropping) machine, which trims the raised fibres to a uniform height.
Visually, these can also have large cylinders, gearing, and feed rollers, but are designed to shave or clip the surface rather than brush it. These are in the machine bank on the left.
Machinery -
An Elevated View -
Looking Towards the Generator Room -
Although both types look similar with large cast iron frames and wooden drums, raising gigs are more about brushing the fibres up, while cropping/shearing machines do the precise cutting or trimming. Together, they formed a key part of the 19th- and early 20th-century cloth finishing line, giving woollen fabrics their final handle and appearance.
Cropping Machine Bank -
Belt Drive System -
Gearing -
Maker's Plate -
Had to watch my step as I moved towards the front of the site... There's a lovely hatch that drops into the drink in the middle of the floor and it's rather hard to see in the dark, wouldn't have been pleasant dropping into that. There is at least a ladder back out of this particular hole.
Raising Machinery -
Pulleys -
There's a couple more croppers in an alcove in the corner at this end, along with a vintage cart that I would assume was used to move cloth to the Tentering machine for final finishing.
Moved into the next room which houses a vintage Teasel Gig and more hatches into the water, although most were blocked with crap. I'm not sure if this is a flooded basement level or whether it was intentional, but this below floor level is below the surface level of the reservoir outside.
Teasel Gig -
A Teasel Gig softens and raises fibres in woollen cloth (common in blankets, flannels, and coats). It enhances insulation and appearance by adding a brushed or fuzzy finish and could be used with natural teasels (softer, gentler) or wire alternatives (harsher but durable).
This particular Teasel Gig appears to be much older than it's more mechanised counterparts in the main area, perhaps used for specialised product finishing. This could tie in with the machinery in the rearmost room as this is also specialised, being a Decatitising Machine.
This machine was used to enhance the fabric's feel and stability. It prevents excessive shrinkage in later washing and gives wool a smoother, crisper, or softer finish, depending on requirements.
Decatitising was especially crucial for high quality worsteds and woollen suiting fabrics to ensure they remained dimensionally stable.
Decatitising Machine -
Sure Grip -
Headed back into the main area at this point, with it still being rather dark, I walked straight past the stairs down to the waterwheel without even noticing it.
There are a pair of Shearing Machines in the room above the water wheel. These would have been used to trim excess fibres after the Raising Process, and appear to have been designed for high volume use with the pipework forming an integrated extraction system to remove the trimmed fibres.
Into the other corner of the site now, but not before having a look at a very decayed office which was quite photogenic.
Pigeon Holes -
Clock Cards -
In the rearmost room, there are what appear to be some very old stone arches. I'm assuming this area had something to do with water flow into the building as it's very close to the reservoir and river and there were quite a few warnings about deep mud/water. There's very little to see now though, as whatever is under the surface is buried under a hell of a lot of silt.
Looked for a way into the generator room next, quick climb over a wall and we're in, with the door being directly below a large drive wheel for the belt drive system.
Drive Wheel -
Was pretty impressed with this room with the retro equipment setup, although it's significantly stripped in comparison to it's companion over in the mill. We have a pair of generators, and what is presumably the primary drive wheel for the entire complex's belt system.
Looks like you could have climbed the belt run at one time to have a closer look but the ladder is very rotten, and missing the majority of it's rungs courtesy of people trying. Pretty difficult getting a decent shot of the wheel due to the compact nature of the room.
The switch room is stunning although again very stripped, with some lovely tiling on the walls.
Switch Room -
Was tempted to climb down into the pit and see what was under the floor, but being solo, I didn't want to chance getting stuck in the silt, and it was definitely below the water level of the reservoir which is the other side of the wall, so a bit disconcerting.
Made my way back into the main area with daylight now getting inside. I checked out an empty room which has a hatch looking into it from outside. The floor by the hatch is completely rotten, as are the bits of wood and pallets thrown on top of it, with a large drop into the water wheel room below. I did clock the stairs down at this point though, so made my way around to them.
There's not much left of the waterwheel, but it's clear to see how it would have worked. There's a leat heading in at the top of the chamber with water flow controlled by a sluice although there is very little of this left.
I believe the wheel was of the Breastshot type from this set up, with the tail race heading out at the bottom of the chamber to meet with the river outside. I couldn't see where it came out to rejoin the river though, I'd guess it's long since been blocked up with just some small concrete pipes allowing drainage, as these seem to be in line with the chamber.
There was very little water flow, I'd assume that the leat is very silted up from lack of use, with a decent flow of water potentially only making it through in flood conditions.
Chamber -
Tail Race -
Made my way back up and grabbed some daylight shots of the main room before calling it a day and heading home.
Continued
Explored twice to try and get decent shots, didn't much fancy waiting in case the access got burnt, so first visit was solo in the dark after a night shift. Much better lighting on the 2nd visit, with majority of the photos being from that visit.
The History
Stolen from myself, with some tweaks.
Original report (Here)
Boiler House/Looms (Here)
Background
Tonedale Mills, owned by the Fox Brothers, was the largest textiles mill in the South West, specialising in the production of Taunton Serge. This material was renowned for being a lightweight, yet sufficiently thick wool product. Production of Taunton Serge began during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I as a cottage industry ran by John Were of Pinksmoor Mill.
Later, Edward Fox married into the Were family by wedding Anna Were. In 1747 Thomas Fox, who would later go on to build up the Tonedale business, was born.
By 1750, the family had a Fulling Mill on the current site of the Tone Works, and the business thrived over the next 17 years. After training in the Netherlands and Germany, Thomas joined the business in 1768. He became a partner in 1772, and eventually the sole proprietor in 1796.
Tone Works
Tone Works was established in 1790, replacing the original Fulling Mill on the site. It served as the dedicated site for cloth finishing and dyeing operations within the Fox Brothers’ textile enterprise. Wool production processes would have also been carried out until the later acquisition of the Tonedale Mill site, when these were moved over to the mill.
Tone Works focused on wet finishing processes which consisted of washing, dyeing, and preparing the fabric for market. Its location on the banks of the River Tone was not accidental; the site was chosen to take full advantage of an abundant, reliable supply of clean water, which was essential both for powering machinery (initially via water wheels, later supplemented by steam and then electric power) and for the fabric treatment processes.
Key operational features included a carefully managed water system with reservoirs, sluice gates, and water treatment facilities to ensure the quality of the water used in dyeing. This water powered setup allowed the works to run a range of processes, such as the production of dyes (notably an early form of khaki used in military uniforms) and the large scale finishing of woollen and worsted cloth. In fact, records indicate that by the early 20th century Tone Works housed one of the largest indigo dye houses in England.
Tonedale Mills
In 1796, Thomas Fox purchased an old flour mill at Tonedale in order to centralise the works processes. This venture proved successful, with a marked increase in both quality and quantity of material produced.
The oldest mill on the site isn't fully original. Only the original walls and water power features remain, due to suffering a serious fire in 1821, sustaining severe damage. The staircases, floors and roof all date from the reconstruction, and the mill is probably the second oldest example of 'fireproof' cast iron-framed construction in the South West. The complex was a rare example in the Woollen industry, as it integrated ancillary processes on the same site.
Thomas Fox renamed the company to Fox Brothers in 1826. The business continued to thrive, at its peak employing 3,600 people at Tonedale, producing 6,500 metres of material each day. A further 1,400 people were employed in the wider business, with subsidiary factories at Cullompton, Culmstock, Uffculme, Wiveliscombe and Weston-Super-Mare. A further subsidiary was established with the acquisition of the William Bliss Mill, located in Chipping Norton, in 1900. Annual turnover peaked at £1.5m in 1919 (£61.6m equivalent today).
20th Century
Dyers working for Fox Brothers were instrumental in developing a khaki dye in 1900. It was first used by British soldiers in the Second Boer War (1899-1902). During WW1, 8000 miles of the material was produced, alongside 70,000 pairs of Puttees (a garment for the lower leg, between the ankle and the knee) per week. Puttee production continued into the 1980s, as some colonial forces still wore them.
The Mills stayed in full production until the 1980s, when operations were scaled back significantly. A small scale operation continues today on part of the site.
21st Century
Over its long industrial life, Tone Works evolved technologically while retaining much of its original character. Its surviving machinery and power systems make it a rare, near complete example of a 19th century cloth dyeing and finishing works.
Today, the historical significance of both sites is recognised by heritage bodies with the Tone Works under council ownership with ongoing conservation projects, which aim to preserve both its industrial fabric and the intricate water management systems.
Somerset Council is still actively involved in trying to secure and restore Tonedale Mill, but the situation remains complex. The property remains in the hands of Mancraft Ltd, who acquired it in 2014, and have been repeatedly ordered to carry out urgent repairs.
The council has been pursuing the recovery of costs – with current figures cited at around £370,000 – and has made clear that a compulsory purchase order (CPO) remains on the table as a last resort if negotiations continue to stall.
At the same time, the council is pressing ahead with urgent works funded by the Levelling Up grant, nearly £20 million has been earmarked for the combined regeneration of Tone Works and Tonedale Mill. However, progress on the mill has been slower than hoped, and there are indications that the regeneration project might face delays, possibly necessitating an extension of the funding deadline beyond March 2026.
Meanwhile, the owner, Amar Mehli of Mancraft Ltd, has stated his readiness to “turn the site around” and advance a redevelopment plan, although he has also rejected a previous offer from the council to purchase the site for around £4 million.
The Explore
Explore 1
Gaining access solo was a bit of a faff but was simple enough. The first room is dominated by a massive machine which is apparently a stenter (tenter) or ‘drying range’ used in the final stages of finishing.
In woollen mills, a stenter serves to dry the cloth under tension, set its width, and stabilize the fabric before or after other finishing steps (such as raising/cropping or pressing). The basic process is as follows;
Dries and Sets the Cloth Width:
The fabric edges are clipped or pinned to continuous chains, which keep it stretched to a precise width. Hot air (or sometimes steam) is circulated to dry the fabric and lock in that width.
Controls Shrinkage and Grain:
By controlling tension and heat, the mill ensures the cloth doesn’t shrink unevenly, keeping the weave straight.
Applies Finishing Treatments:
In some setups, resins or other finishes can be applied before or during the stenter run, so the cloth emerges with a desired hand or sheen.
Unfortunately as I found out whilst leaving, natural light in this area is pretty much non existent and the room layout is very tight, making decent shots of it a nightmare to get.
Stenter -
Compressor -
Patent Mark -
Made my way into the main part of the complex and was pleasantly surprised by how much was left in here along with the natural decay.
Apparently this area would have been the Dry Finishing Department with the machinery in the room consisting of Raising (or Gig) machines and cropping/shearing machines used to finish woollen or worsted cloth. At a traditional cloth finishing site like Tone Works, you would typically see rows of these large drum style machines on either side of an open walkway.
Raising (Gig) Machines
These have large rotating drums fitted with teasels or wire brushes. As the cloth passes over or between these drums, the surface fibres are gently lifted or “raised” to produce a softer, warmer nap on the fabric. These would appear to be the machinery bank on the right looking towards the road.
Cropping/Shearing Machines
After the nap is raised, the cloth often goes through a shearing (cropping) machine, which trims the raised fibres to a uniform height.
Visually, these can also have large cylinders, gearing, and feed rollers, but are designed to shave or clip the surface rather than brush it. These are in the machine bank on the left.
Machinery -
Although both types look similar with large cast iron frames and wooden drums, raising gigs are more about brushing the fibres up, while cropping/shearing machines do the precise cutting or trimming. Together, they formed a key part of the 19th- and early 20th-century cloth finishing line, giving woollen fabrics their final handle and appearance.
Cropping Machine Bank -
Belt Drive System -
Gearing -
Maker's Plate -
Had to watch my step as I moved towards the front of the site... There's a lovely hatch that drops into the drink in the middle of the floor and it's rather hard to see in the dark, wouldn't have been pleasant dropping into that. There is at least a ladder back out of this particular hole.
Raising Machinery -
Pulleys -
There's a couple more croppers in an alcove in the corner at this end, along with a vintage cart that I would assume was used to move cloth to the Tentering machine for final finishing.
Moved into the next room which houses a vintage Teasel Gig and more hatches into the water, although most were blocked with crap. I'm not sure if this is a flooded basement level or whether it was intentional, but this below floor level is below the surface level of the reservoir outside.
Teasel Gig -
A Teasel Gig softens and raises fibres in woollen cloth (common in blankets, flannels, and coats). It enhances insulation and appearance by adding a brushed or fuzzy finish and could be used with natural teasels (softer, gentler) or wire alternatives (harsher but durable).
This particular Teasel Gig appears to be much older than it's more mechanised counterparts in the main area, perhaps used for specialised product finishing. This could tie in with the machinery in the rearmost room as this is also specialised, being a Decatitising Machine.
This machine was used to enhance the fabric's feel and stability. It prevents excessive shrinkage in later washing and gives wool a smoother, crisper, or softer finish, depending on requirements.
Decatitising was especially crucial for high quality worsteds and woollen suiting fabrics to ensure they remained dimensionally stable.
Decatitising Machine -
Sure Grip -
Headed back into the main area at this point, with it still being rather dark, I walked straight past the stairs down to the waterwheel without even noticing it.
There are a pair of Shearing Machines in the room above the water wheel. These would have been used to trim excess fibres after the Raising Process, and appear to have been designed for high volume use with the pipework forming an integrated extraction system to remove the trimmed fibres.
Into the other corner of the site now, but not before having a look at a very decayed office which was quite photogenic.
Pigeon Holes -
Clock Cards -
In the rearmost room, there are what appear to be some very old stone arches. I'm assuming this area had something to do with water flow into the building as it's very close to the reservoir and river and there were quite a few warnings about deep mud/water. There's very little to see now though, as whatever is under the surface is buried under a hell of a lot of silt.
Looked for a way into the generator room next, quick climb over a wall and we're in, with the door being directly below a large drive wheel for the belt drive system.
Drive Wheel -
Was pretty impressed with this room with the retro equipment setup, although it's significantly stripped in comparison to it's companion over in the mill. We have a pair of generators, and what is presumably the primary drive wheel for the entire complex's belt system.
Looks like you could have climbed the belt run at one time to have a closer look but the ladder is very rotten, and missing the majority of it's rungs courtesy of people trying. Pretty difficult getting a decent shot of the wheel due to the compact nature of the room.
The switch room is stunning although again very stripped, with some lovely tiling on the walls.
Switch Room -
Was tempted to climb down into the pit and see what was under the floor, but being solo, I didn't want to chance getting stuck in the silt, and it was definitely below the water level of the reservoir which is the other side of the wall, so a bit disconcerting.
Made my way back into the main area with daylight now getting inside. I checked out an empty room which has a hatch looking into it from outside. The floor by the hatch is completely rotten, as are the bits of wood and pallets thrown on top of it, with a large drop into the water wheel room below. I did clock the stairs down at this point though, so made my way around to them.
There's not much left of the waterwheel, but it's clear to see how it would have worked. There's a leat heading in at the top of the chamber with water flow controlled by a sluice although there is very little of this left.
I believe the wheel was of the Breastshot type from this set up, with the tail race heading out at the bottom of the chamber to meet with the river outside. I couldn't see where it came out to rejoin the river though, I'd guess it's long since been blocked up with just some small concrete pipes allowing drainage, as these seem to be in line with the chamber.
There was very little water flow, I'd assume that the leat is very silted up from lack of use, with a decent flow of water potentially only making it through in flood conditions.
Chamber -
Tail Race -
Made my way back up and grabbed some daylight shots of the main room before calling it a day and heading home.
Continued
Last edited:
