Boiler House, Seafield Works, Dundee Taylor's Lane, Dundee, Dundee

Description

Mainly Robertson and Orchar 1861-4, prominent Italianate

jute carpet works comprising High Mill with tower and

West Factory attached to S, boiler house and former

mechanics' shop to N, linking with later offices and 1851

Low Mill No 1. All coursed rubble with ashlar dressings.

(a) 4-storey and attic 22-bay jute mill with tower, 1861,

cornice and parapet. N elevation 21-bay having advanced

3-bay quoined central section with 2 large doors at ground

floor, 2 large pilastered and corniced tripartites at 1st

floor and segmental-headed windows above. Ground floor of

E section of mill is attached to former mechanic's shop

and of W section is masked by later small brick addition.

Later external lift. W-most bay advanced to form 5-storey

square-section stair tower with arched windows to N and W. Campanile-type top stage with paired arched louvred bell

stage. Cornice, pyramid roof with corner acroteria and ball

finial 3-bay W elevation with channelled pilaster strip

to balance stair tower. 1st and 2nd floor windows in

architraves linked by cill-level band courses. Simple 3-bay

E elevation. S elevation 22-bay, ground floor adjoining

weaving shed. Small open pediment dated 1861 balances hoist

at 14th bay, later raised for a motor and clad in

corrugated-iron. Hipped slate roof with skylights and

original ventilators. Original 10-paned top-hopper windows.

Interior: fire proof, 2 rows of cast-iron columns with

bulbous capitals, cast-iron beams, wrought-iron ties,

brick arches and stone slab floors. Central beam engine

house rises through 3 floors with heavy masonry foundations

at ground floor, lengthwise cast-iron beams at 1st floor

to allow for beams of engine (hole later floored over).

Ceiling of 2nd floor carried on large composite cast-iron

girders with wrought-iron tie-rods. 1 bay to each side

forms gearing rooms. 3rd and attic floors are uninterrupted.

Attic has 2 rows of cast-iron columns with bell capitals

carrying lengthwise wooden beams tensioned by wrought-iron

rods. N aisle later strengthened by wood and wrought-iron

ties.

(b) West Factory, single-storey weaving sheds, adjoins S

wall of mill, 1861. Symmetrical 10-window W elevation

with roll-moulded band course on a rusticated base, advanced

end bays having rusticated pilasters and 2 arched windows

in architraves with aprons and nailhead mouldings. 6

central windows in architraves, 2 altered for a modern

loading door. Blank S and E elevations with cornices.

South-lit double-pitched piended slate roofs. Later

2-storey and attic loading bay to S with wide gable to

Taylor's Lane, bipartite and central arched door. Timber

interior.

Factory interior: unusual fire-proof design of wrought-

iron Polonceau trusses and wide spans along valleys

achieved by wrought-iron tension rods between columns with

bulbous capitals. Decorative iron ventilators. N wall

corniced with arched entrances to E section of High Mill.

of High Mill and Offices, 1861. Single storey with corniced

blank E elevation to Taylor's Lane. Pilastered W elevation

with large arched door to original loading bay, steps to

office with arched door off. Cornice. 5 piended N-lit

slate roofs.

Interior: iron columns and cusped cast-iron roof with

pendants.

(d) Boiler House in yard N of High Mill, single-storey

rubble, 1861. S elevation: cornice on pilasters with

partial later brick infilling. 3 piended slate roofs,

2 now corrugated.

Interior: elegant curved cast-iron spans on cast-iron

columns.

(e) Offices, later 19th century, L-plan. 2-storey main

block with platform roof and clock to courtyard. Small

wing links office to Mill No 1. E elevation 5-bay with

arched keystoned cart entry, bipartite over. Large

wall-head stack. Original sash and case windows, except

showroom.

(f) No 1 Low Mill, 1851, now "Weaver's Shop". 2-storey

and attic 3-by 8-bay mill. E gable 3-bay with windows in

margins and 2 windows and oculus in attic, flat-topped

finial. 2-storey S elevation has blocked engine-house

windows. N elevation blocked ground floor, later brick

lift tower. Harled and blocked W elevation where mill

adjoined No 2 Mill (now demolished). Slate roof.

Interior: iron columns, wooden floors and wooden roof.

Statement of Interest

Founded in 1848, Thomson Shepherd and Co used Seafield

Works until 1986, specialising in the manufacture of jute

carpets and coconut matting etc, employing over 1,000.

Buildings (a) to (d) significant as a complete architectural

unit, the single-storey buildings having good ironwork

comparable to Bowbridge Works.

External Links

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