Description and History of Site:-

Mid-Victorian sawmill converted from bobbin mill.In the 1830s Clapham Beck was dammed to form an ornamental lake some 60ft (18m) above Ingleborough Hall and Clapham village. James Farrer (1849-1926) later used a Williamson Bros Vortex turbine to power a bobbin mill, which became the estate sawmill. Around 1893 the turbine was used to drive a dynamo as well as the sawmill, and the estate accounts of 1895 refer to the "installation of 10 outdoor lamps" in the village, and to "repair and renewals of the original plant". Gilkes of Kendal took over Williamson's business in 1881, and so in 1907 when the original turbine needed replacing, a Gilkes Vortex turbine (no 1882, designed to produce 15ho with 60ft head) was installed to drive the sawbench and a dynamo which charged the batteries for electric lighting. In 1938 a small power house was built at the foot of the waterfall below the dam to house a Gilkes Turgo turbine (no 4360 producing 10hp with 60ft head), driving a 6kW 115-volt dynamo for heating the estate office.

Further Reading and References:-

CIAS Research Report no 26, Tom Hay

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Key Words :- sawmill turbine

Viewing the Site :- Can be viewed from the road

Address :- Eggshell Lane, Clapham, Settle, North Yorkshire, LA2 8DU
Grid Ref :- SD 74553 69526
Co-ordinates :- Lat 54.120962 , Long -2.390824
Local Authority :- Craven District Council
Pre 1974 County :- Yorkshire - North Riding
Site Status :- Listed - Grade II
Historic England List No - 1471367,
Site Condition :- Site disused - but otherwise substantially intact
Site Dates :- - 2017
Contributor :- Jane Ellis - 24 December 2020

Copyright :- cc-by-nc-sa 4.0 © Jane Ellis