epw017640 ENGLAND (1927). The Portland Cement Works, Northfleet, 1927

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Details

Title [EPW017640] The Portland Cement Works, Northfleet, 1927
Reference EPW017640
Date April-1927
Link
Place name NORTHFLEET
Parish
District
Country ENGLAND
Easting / Northing 562028, 174843
Longitude / Latitude 0.33202780456314, 51.448869420678
National Grid Reference TQ620748

Pins

India Arms pub

Dylan Moore
Monday 12th of July 2021 12:27:37 PM
Huggens Arms pub

Dylan Moore
Monday 12th of July 2021 12:26:25 PM
Site of pre-1903 drying flats.

Dylan Moore
Tuesday 5th of June 2018 11:12:50 PM
College Road (originally One Tree Lane).

Dylan Moore
Tuesday 5th of June 2018 11:11:38 PM
Site of Orme House, demolished 1872.

Dylan Moore
Tuesday 5th of June 2018 11:10:26 PM
Site of Hive House, demolished 1870s.

Dylan Moore
Tuesday 5th of June 2018 11:09:22 PM
Northfleet Light

Dylan Moore
Tuesday 5th of June 2018 11:07:10 PM

Dylan Moore
Tuesday 5th of June 2018 11:05:40 PM

Dylan Moore
Tuesday 5th of June 2018 11:05:02 PM

Dylan Moore
Tuesday 5th of June 2018 11:04:15 PM

Dylan Moore
Tuesday 5th of June 2018 11:02:01 PM

Dylan Moore
Tuesday 5th of June 2018 11:00:39 PM

Dylan Moore
Tuesday 5th of June 2018 10:59:25 PM
Northfleet Creek

ladyceecee
Sunday 21st of August 2016 04:34:35 PM

Dylan Moore
Thursday 3rd of December 2015 02:09:09 PM
Remains of London Portland cement plant

Dylan Moore
Friday 25th of January 2013 10:21:57 PM

Dylan Moore
Tuesday 16th of October 2012 01:43:05 PM
Six kiln feed slurry mixers.

Dylan Moore
Tuesday 16th of October 2012 01:42:42 PM

User Comment Contributions

James Parker, a clergyman and cement manufacturer developed Roman or 'natural' cement in the 1780s at his plant at Northfleet Creek, Kent in response to the need to produce a product which had a fast drying time. His patent for the material in 1796 described the product as 'A certain Cement or Terras to be used in Aquatic and other Buildings and Stucco Work'. It was nothing like the cement used by the Romans, the name was possibly adopted because of its quick-drying properties, as concrete used by the Romans also enabled them to build their dock walls under water. Parker used naturally occurring clay-rich limestone found as nodules in the London clay deposits on the Isle of Sheppey. The nodules were burnt and then ground to a fine powder which, when made into mortar with sand and water, set in 5 to 15 minutes. For the grinding process Parker may have used an ancient tidal water mill at the head of the creek or a nearby windmill. 'Natural' cement from Parker's Northfleet works was used in the decoration for the Neo Gothic folly Hadlow Tower, Hadlow, Kent (now a Grade 1* Listed Building). The same cement was used during its restoration (2010-2013) but had to be imported from Grenoble, France as it is no longer made in the UK.

Info from 'Hadlow Castle, Creation & Restoration' 2015.

ladyceecee
Sunday 21st of August 2016 05:01:45 PM
Particularly good closeup from the west showing the wharf and the chaotic layout of the kiln house.

Dylan Moore
Tuesday 16th of October 2012 08:37:01 PM
Picture of APCM's Bevans Cement Plant . The plant had been shut down in 1921 for a complete re-build, and the first of the three new kilns was lit up on 23/03/1926. When the third kiln was lit in the following August, it became Britain’s largest plant. A fourth kiln was installed at the end of 1928. The plant shut down in 1970 when it was replaced by the adjacent Northfleet plant. The slurry was made at a quarry 1 km to the southwest and was pumped to the mixers shown. The abandoned slurry "backs" used in the nineteenth century plant are still in place. The deep water wharf was a major part of the new project, and the plant was reserved mainly for exports.

Dylan Moore
Tuesday 16th of October 2012 08:35:48 PM