The Walls Maltings, Mistley (EHER 15001)

19th century maltings complex of major national importance. All buildings were demolished in the late 20th century and the area developed into a housing estate. The road names 'Kiln Lane' and 'Malthouse Road' retain some ties to what the area was originally used for. The site dates back to at least 1806 when Edward Norman constructed his first malthouse with its northern elevation fronting onto The Walls. Records show that by 1828 there were eight maltings each with a datestone, four of which were constructed in 1806, 1807, 1817 and 1828 and each was built parallel (south of) to the one before. The four smaller buildings that lay directly south west of these have not been dated. There were also three kilns situated as links between the 1817 and 1828 building however, these are thought not to be the original kilns but built in the late 19th century or early 20th century. The buildings were typically long, squat constructions of red brick with two or four storeys and attic.

A total of seven maltings survive on this site (TM 1093 3181); a parallel range of four lying south of 'The Walls' and a further three to the southwest (ESMR No. 15001). The buildings survive in varying degrees of completeness; one has been converted, one has been internally gutted and five retain important technological features. The majority are red brick-built, two-storey and have their floors supported on wooden or cast iron columns; four carry date-stones. The earliest malthouse stands at the northern end of the site and is dated 1806; it has been converted into offices, but is currently unoccupied. To the south stands a four-storey malthouse with an 1807 date-stone; the bottom two storeys are built of brick with timber framing above. Parallel to this is an 1817 two-storey malthouse. It is of 22 bays and retains a steeping cistern; the upper floor contains a grain screen. At the end of this range stands a second two-storey brick-built malthouse with an in-situ steeping tank; the building is dated 1828. Three kilns stand between the 1817 and 1828 maltings, but two of these were added at a later date. Of the malthouses to the southwest, the northern-most example has been completely gutted. The two others are of two-storeys and retain their steeping tanks and parts of the quarry tile growing floors. The Ordnance Survey First Edition map extract (1875, sheet 20.9) shows an eighth malthouse to the south of this range. A substantial dwelling, Mistley Place, stands in landscaped grounds to the east which was occupied by the owner of the works. <1> A total of seven malthouses survive on this site; a parallel range of four lying south of the Walls and a further range of three to the southwest. The buildings survive in varying degrees of completeness, one has been converted, two have been internally gutted and four retain important technological features. The majority are red brick-built, two storey and have their floors supported on wooden or cast iron columns; four carry date-stones. The earliest malthouse stands at the northern end of the site and is dated 1806; it has been converted to offices, but is currently unoccupied. To the south of this stands a four storey malthouse with an 1807 datestone; the bottom two storeys are built of brick and the building contains various grain dressing machines. Parallel to this is an 1817 two storey, brick-built malthouse. It is of 22 bays and retains a steeping cistern; the upper floor contains a grain or malt screen. At the end of this range stands a second two-storey brick-built malt house with an in-situ steeping pit; the building is dated 1828. Three kilns stand between the 1817 and 1828 maltings, but these were probably added at a later date. Of the malthouses to the southwest, the northern-most example has been completely gutted. The two others are of two storeys and retain their steeping pits; parts of the quarry tile drying floors also survive. The Ordnance Survey 1890s map extract shows an eighth malthouse to the south of this range. ARCHAEOLOGICAL POTENTIAL: One of the few surviving Essex malt complexes with in-situ technological features. The process flow and structural sequence can be deduced from the physical remains and buried evidence of the demolished eighth malthouse probably survives. The footings of the kilns are also expected to survive. SITE SIGNIFICANCE: Of major national importance. Present knowledge suggests The Walls is the earliest surviving complex in the country marking the important transition from a low investment industry to one where more capitalistic forms of production became increasingly dominant. Of all the complexes assessed in 1993 by Stratton and Trinder (pp 20-24), the majority were erected from the mid-19th century onwards, but the Walls pre-dates these by some forty years. The easterly group were built at a key moment in the industrial revolution and should be viewed as part of the general movement towards larger units of production; this had already occurred in cotton textiles and by the early 19th century was beginning to effect many of the smaller traditional industries. CURRENT STATUS: The four buildings with in-situ features and the kilns are Listed Grade II; the remaining malthouses form part of a Conservation Area. RECOMMENDED ACTION: The current Listing does not reflect the national importance of this site. Because of its group value all the buildings should be Listed Grade II and those that are already protected should be up-graded to II*. MANAGEMENT: A decision on the future of this site was made following a public inquiry in December 1994. The proposed residential development will result in the demolition of the westerly range (including the two Listed Buildings) and the 1801 malthouse; the remaining buildings will be converted into flats. A joint recording project by ECC Archaeological Advisory Group, the Royal Commission on the Historic Monuments of England and Amber Patrick has recently (Feb 1996) been completed. <2>. Information from NRHE All buildings were demolished in the late 20th century and the area developed into a housing estate. The road names 'Kiln Lane' and 'Malthouse Road' retain some ties to what the area was originally used for. The site dates back to at least 1806 when Edward Norman constructed his first malthouse with its northern elevation fronting onto The Walls. Records show that by 1828 there were eight maltings each with a datestone, four of which were constructed in 1806, 1807, 1817 and 1828 and each was built parallel (south of) to the one before. The four smaller buildings that lay directly south west of these have not been dated. There were also three kilns situated as links between the 1817 and 1828 building however, these are thought not to be the original kilns but built in the late 19th century or early 20th century. Other kilns thought to have existed were not evident before the site was completely redeveloped in the 1990's. The site was taken over in 1839 by W Brooks and Son who were, besides maltsters, also ale porters, coal merchants and wharfingers. In the 20th century they also became millers and feed merchants and eventually became a subsidiary of Dalgety. The buildings were typically long, squat constructions of red brick with two or four storeys and attic. The internal structure was probably initially of wood but later records indicate iron was used. There would have been a growing or germination floor on the ground floor with a steeping cistern and this may also have been an area for grain storage. Unusually, these group of maltings never evolved to incorporate more than one growing floor when it was common to have two in the early 19th century. <3> <4>