Saltford Brass Mill Project
Copyright (C) 2020 Saltford Brass Mill Project. All Rights Reserved
Registered Charity Number
Scheduled Monument
Grade II* Listed Building
1174901
1004607
1384676
Fallen Tree. 29 April 2012
Undermed pier. 2013
A programme of renovation was carried out in 2014 at a cost of £50K, funded by Bath and
North East Somerset Council (B&NES).
In 2012, a tree fell on the mill, damaging the roof. This was repaired
by B&NES but served as a wake-up call to inspect the general condition of the mill. A survey identified
that the foundations of a pier supporting the roof had become undermined and a number of tie-beams and struts
in the roof structure had weakened with age. It was also considered that the electrical system was not fit-for-purpose
considering the damp conditions prevalent in the mill.
Renovation included:
- Re-wiring of the mill to bring the electrical system up
to modern standards.
- Installation of a steel tie-beam in the Dynamo Room to relieve the load on the original roof truss.
- Installation
of three pillars in the Rolling Mill to support wall-plates and tie-beams, relieving the load on the original piers, the
foundations of which had been undermined.
- Installation of a new prop in the Rolling Mill roof to relieve the load on the original structure
which had weakened with age, the original being a roughly hewn quarter trunk of a tree.
- Installation of steel flitch plates to
strengthen the connection between the tie-beams and wall plates were the structure had weakened with age.
Timber pillar installed to relieve the load on the undermined pier. 2014
RSJ installed to relieve the load on the tie-beam. 2014
Flitch plate installed to relieve the load on the tie-beam. 2014
The renovation was carried out with sympathy for the character of the building and its historical importance. The philosophy adopted was to retain original structure where possible but where structures were weak new materials were introduced to relieve the loads on the original. Were new structures were introduced they were installed alongside the original making it evident what was new and what was original; hence, the observer can see the original intent of the mill's builders.