Maltings to west of Railway Station (EHER 15056)

The 19th century railway maltings complex was built between 1874 and 1882 by Robert Free who went on to develop the major works at Mistley and was a leading innovator within the industry. It forms part of interesting group beside the railway station and is an important building for two reasons. Firstly its association with Robert Free, a nationally important innovator in the industry, and secondly the rarity value in combining the production of both pale and crystal malt on the same site. Despite technological changes, some original elements of Free's production techniques survive, including all five kiln furnaces (four still retaining their damper mechanisms) the steeping tank, evidence of line-shafting and hatches within many of the tiled growing floors. Much of the buildings original spatial integrity has remained although the building in general has suffered badly from the elements since the removal of much of the slate roofs. In particular the second and attic floors of Malting No.1 are in a state of collapse.

Yellow brick-built 3 storey gabled range of 30 bays and a slate roof. Piers separate each bay with brick string courses creating a series of recessed panels; these contain the characteristic wooden ventilator windows. Wrought iron ties and cast iron plates hold the frame together. The south facade has two weather-boarded locums at attic level, a series of plain wooden doors and an iron walkway at the east end. Two kilns stand in the middle of the range with a steep tile clad roof and these are surmounted by wooden ventilator towers; a third kiln lies to the rear. The building is effectively two separate ranges which have subsequently been joined and each would have operated independently. The steeping pits stood at the east and west ends with the material moving towards the kilns; the eastern block was a malting in the traditional sense, whilst the western block contained a crystallised malt plant. Malt was steeped over a period of three days in the eastern block and was then laid on the drying floors for a further four days. The kilns were all fired by anthracite and had wedge wire floors. The complex was built between 1874 and 1882 by Robert Free who went on to develop the major works at Mistley and was a leading innovator within the industry. It forms part of interesting group beside the railway station, but is becoming increasingly dilapidated and has lost many of its roof tiles. <1>. The Malting at Thorpe, built in the late 1870s, is an important building for two reasons. Firstly its association with Robert Free, a nationally important innovator in the industry, and secondly the rarity value in combining the production of both pale and crystal malt on the same site. Despite technological changes, some original elements of Free's production techniques survive, including all five kiln furnaces (four still retaining their damper mechanisms) the steeping tank, evidence of line-shafting and hatches within many of the tiled growing floors. Much of the buildings original spatial integrity has remained although the building in general has suffered badly from the elements since the removal of much of the slate roofs. In particular the second and attic floors of Malting No.1 are in a state of collapse. <2>. Colour print of Railway maltings <3> A programme of archaeological building recording was carried out at Thorpe Maltings, Thorpe-le-Soken, Essex, in August, September and October 2008 to fulfil a condition of planning consent for the removal of the drying towers and collapsed roof and unstable gable to eaves level. Existing plans and cross sections of the complex were adjusted and annotated to provide the drawn record, as safe access to all areas of the complex to obtain further drawings was not possible at this time. <4> It is now owned by Allied Breweries (production) Ltd. <5> Additional reference <6>