Credit: © The Royal Society
Image number: RS.6130
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Powder mill, Waltham Abbey
Date
1771
Creator
John Smeaton (1724 - 1792, British) , Civil engineer
Object type
Archive reference number
Image reference
Material
Dimensions
height (drawing): 510mm
width (drawing): 350mm
width (drawing): 350mm
Subject
Description
Sectional elevation for the water-driven powder mill at Waltham Abbey, Essex, 1:24 scale. From Smeaton volume 2, fol. 38v.
Powder mills were used in the manufacture of blackpowder, a type of gunpowder. Smeaton was contracted in 1767 by the mill's owner, Bouchier Walton, to design improved mills. The site was purchased by the Crown in 1787 to become one of three Royal Gunpowder Mills in the UK.
Powder mills were used in the manufacture of blackpowder, a type of gunpowder. Smeaton was contracted in 1767 by the mill's owner, Bouchier Walton, to design improved mills. The site was purchased by the Crown in 1787 to become one of three Royal Gunpowder Mills in the UK.
Object history
The Royal Society John Smeaton collection consists of 6 volumes of his working drawings.
The drawings (with supplementary manuscripts and engravings) were classified by mechanical engineer, John Farey (1791-1851) under the following 6 headings: I. Windmills and watermills for grinding corn; II. Mills for various purposes and machines for raising water; III. Fire engines for raising water; IV. Bridges and Buildings; V. Canal works, sluices, and harbours; VI. Canals and river navigations.
Smeaton made all his drawings himself. Later in his career he employed a draughtsman, but still continued to draw the lines of all his drawings to the proper scale in pencil on cartridge paper which he called sketches. Fair copies of the sketches were then made on drawing paper by the draughtsman, William Jessop or his successor Henry Eastburn, and Smeaton's daughters frequently helped in the shadowing and finishing using ink wash.
The drawings (with supplementary manuscripts and engravings) were classified by mechanical engineer, John Farey (1791-1851) under the following 6 headings: I. Windmills and watermills for grinding corn; II. Mills for various purposes and machines for raising water; III. Fire engines for raising water; IV. Bridges and Buildings; V. Canal works, sluices, and harbours; VI. Canals and river navigations.
Smeaton made all his drawings himself. Later in his career he employed a draughtsman, but still continued to draw the lines of all his drawings to the proper scale in pencil on cartridge paper which he called sketches. Fair copies of the sketches were then made on drawing paper by the draughtsman, William Jessop or his successor Henry Eastburn, and Smeaton's daughters frequently helped in the shadowing and finishing using ink wash.
Associated place