Lead Houses: White Lead Processing at the Chester Leadworks

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe Chester Leadworks was established on the north bank of the Chester Canal in 1799 and is best known for the production of lead shot for the Napoleonic Wars, although lead sheet, pipes and washers together with white and red lead for paint were also manufactured during its long and distinguished operational life. The iconic shot tower at the heart of the leadworks was designated a Grade II* listed building in 1981, whilst other parts of the complex were subject to incremental demolition between 1984 and 2012. A scheme to repurpose the site for residential use thereafter was preceded by an excavation undertaken by L – P: Archaeology in 2018–19. This targeted the site of the early 19th-century white lead house and represented the final phase of almost two decades of intermittent archaeological investigation. This article synthesises the results obtained from the archaeological study with previous historical research to present a rounded account of this important site with particular reference to the production of white lead.KEYWORDS: Chesterleadworksshot towerwhite leadred lead AcknowledgementsThe Whitecroft Group and CPUK are gratefully acknowledged for enabling the archaeological works to take place. The authors would also like to thank Mark Leah of Cheshire Archaeological Planning Advisory Service and Anthony Martin of Nexus Heritage for their help and advice in guiding the project.Disclosure StatementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Notes1 Christopher Piers Lewis and Alan T. Thacker, ‘The City of Chester: General History and Topography’, in A History of the County of Chester, Victoria History of the Counties of England, 5 (London: Victoria County History, 2003), 172–7.2 David John Rowe, Lead Manufacturing in Britain: A History (London and Canberra: Croom Helm, 1983), 2.3 Rowe, Lead Manufacturing in Britain, 14.4 Christopher J. Williams and R. Alan Williams, ‘Rediscovering the Lead and Zinc Production of North-East Wales’, Welsh Mines and Mining 2 (2012): 13–31.5 Geoff Pickard, An Illustrated History of Chester Leadworks (Gloucestershire: Lightmoor Press, 2017), 7.6 Rowe, Lead Manufacturing in Britain, 82.7 Rowe, Lead Manufacturing in Britain, 5 and 35.8 Pickard, An Illustrated History of Chester Leadworks, 40.9 John Mosse, ‘Redcliff Shot Tower’, Bristol Industrial Archaeological Society Journal 2 (1969): 4–5.10 A.H. John, Minutes Relating to Messrs. Samuel Walker & Co Rotherham, Iron Founders and Steel Refiners 1741–1829 and Messrs. Walkers Parker & Co Lead Manufacturers 1788–1893 (London: Council of the Preservation of Business Archives, 1951), 35–54.11 M.H.O. Hoddinott, ‘A Site Development History of Chester Leadworks of Messrs. Walker, Parker & Co Boughton 1800-1900’ (unpublished manuscript, Cheshire Record Office Reference 202238, 1990), 22–4.12 M.H.O. Hoddinott, ‘A Site Development History of Chester Leadworks of Messrs. Walker, Parker & Co Boughton 1800–1900’, (unpublished manuscript, Cheshire Record Office Reference 202238, 1990), 14.13 Pickard, An Illustrated History of Chester Leadworks, 31.14 M.H.O. Hoddinott, ‘A Site Development History of Chester Leadworks of Messrs. Walker, Parker & Co Boughton 1800–1900’, (unpublished manuscript, Cheshire Record Office Reference 202238, 1990), 15.15 Hoddinott, ‘Development History of Chester Leadworks of Messrs. Walker, Parker & Co Boughton 1800–1900’, 1–3.16 Chester Observer, 21 January 1899.17 Lewis and Thacker, ‘The City of Chester’, 173–97.18 M.H.O. Hoddinott, ‘Development History of Chester Leadworks of Messrs. Walker, Parker & Co Boughton 1800–1900’, (unpublished manuscript, Cheshire Record Office Reference 202238, 1990), 23.19 M.H.O. Hoddinott, ‘Development History of Chester Leadworks of Messrs. Walker, Parker & Co Boughton 1800–1900’, (unpublished manuscript, Cheshire Record Office Reference 202238, 1990), 24.20 M.H.O. Hoddinott, ‘Development History of Chester Leadworks of Messrs. Walkers, Parker & Co Boughton 1800–1900’, (unpublished manuscript, Cheshire Record Office Reference 202238, 1990), 24.21 M.H.O. Hoddinott, ‘Development History of Chester Leadworks of Messrs. Walkers, Parker & Co Boughton 1800–1900’, (unpublished manuscript, Cheshire Record Office Reference 202238, 1990) 23–30.22 Kate Pack, ‘Archaeological Desk-based Assessment of Land at The Leadworks, Chester’ (L – P: Archaeology Report, 2000); S. Robinson, ‘Historic Buildings Assessment of The Leadworks, Chester’ (L – P: Archaeology Report, 2000).23 Chris Constable, ‘The Leadworks, Chester’ (L – P: Archaeology Report, 2002); Matthew Williams, ‘The Chester Leadworks’ (L – P: Archaeology Report, 2002).24 Rebecca Jones, ‘Archaeological Watching Brief Report: Shot Tower Chester’ (L – P: Archaeology Report, 2016), https://doi.org/10.5284/1054541; Rebecca Jones, ‘Archaeological Watching Brief Report: Shot Tower Chester’ (L – P: Archaeology Report, 2017), https://doi.org/10.5284/1054228.25 Matthew Williams, ‘Archaeological Evaluation on Land Known as The Chester Leadworks’ (L – P: Archaeology Report, 2011); Chris Constable, ‘Archaeological Building Recording on Land at The Leadworks Chester’ (L – P: Archaeology Report, 2011).26 Pickard, An Illustrated History of Chester Leadworks, 43.27 Matthew Williams, ‘Desk-based Assessment, The Chester Leadworks, Chester’ (L – P: Archaeology Report, 2016).28 The full results obtained from the archaeological excavation are presented in Ric Buckle and Rachael Matthews, ‘Archaeological Investigation Report for Leadworks Chester’ (L – P: Archaeology Report, 2020).Additional informationNotes on contributorsRachael MatthewsRachael Matthews graduated from Cardiff University and has worked in the heritage sector across England and Wales since 2011. In her current role with MOLA Chester, she has responsibility for the post-excavation and archive departments and also oversees desk-based research. Her passions lie within finds’ illustration, photography and working with finds.Ric BuckleRic Buckle has worked in commercial archaeology since graduating from the University of Manchester in 2003. He has worked on a wide variety of sites primarily in north-west England, developing his main area of expertise in industrial archaeology.Liz GovierLiz Govier has worked in commercial archaeology across England and Wales since 2012. She has both BA in Archaeology and MA in Material Culture Studies from Exeter University. She has worked on a diverse range of historic buildings and structures from castles, industrial mills and weirs to farmsteads and dwellings. Her interests lie in the historic development and the social history of late medieval and post-medieval buildings.