Location:
- Grid reference: NZ35035709
- x=435030
- y=557090
- 54°54'26"N; 1°27'13"W
- Civil Parish: Hylton, County Durham
Clinker manufacture operational: ?1865-?1911
Approximate total clinker production: 197,000 tonnes
Raw materials: Chalk from the Thames, as return load on colliers delivering Sunderland coal to London. Probably also Boulder Clay (Pelaw Clay Member)
Ownership: W. Grimshaw and Sons
Also called Wear Works (but not to be confused with Deptford, sometimes called Wear Works). Apart from the passing reference in Francis and the local directories, maps are the only evidence regarding this plant that I have been able to find. The 1896 map shows six medium sized wet process bottle kilns, corresponding to Davis’ 1907 capacity of 150 t/week. Like many other north-eastern plants, the rise in the price of fresh chalk by sea from the Thames probably caused its demise. The plant transportation appears to have been entirely water-based. The site was completely cleared after closure and is now under housing.
Power supply
Little information: at time of closure it had a "nearly new" 85 HP Field & Platt gas engine, which was sufficient to run the plant.
Rawmills
No information
No rotary kilns were installed.
Sources: