The Saltford Brassmill Project

This section of the site contains information about the group of volunteers who maintain the Brassmill, and how you could get involved.


Funding

English Heritage has funded extensive repairs to the roof and other parts of the structure. The mill is now leased by Bath and North-East Somerset Council which also provides funding. We are pleased to acknowledge further grants from the New Horizons Trust, Rural Action, Help the Aged Millennium Awards, Awards for All Lottery Grants, the Churngold Environmental Fund and Ibstock Brick Company.

Volunteering

The building is under the care of volunteers in Saltford Brass Mill Project who maintain the premises in consultation with English Heritage and B&NES officials. Research is conducted into the history of the building, its brass-working techniques, its workers and its industry, displays are prepared, and group visits are organised.

Example Projects

Here are some example projects undertaken by our group of volunteers:

  • Mounting informative photographic displays for schools, libraries and public exhibitions of various kinds when requested
     
  • Building a lifting bridge of the main watercourse of the mill to secure access to the new entrance
     
  • Creation of a new entrance by building flooring above the old earth base of a former rubbish store, and adding a level walkway and safety rails, so providing a suitable wheelchair access to the mill building
     
  • The major rebuilding of a surviving working waterwheel requiring the replacement of a large number of oak wedges and re-centring of the wheel on its shaft
     
  • The clearance of rough ground to replace with landscaping and planting our roadside frontage and surroundings of the furnace creating an agreeable entrance and suitable viewing points for our visitors
     
  • Raising funds by various means including the organizing of bric-a-brac sales at the local cricket festival and elsewhere