Welcome to the Industrial Heritage Network EAST OF ENGLAND (IHNEE) page! Our inaugural meeting took place online on the 1st October 2021. 12 people joined that online meeting. The current IHSO, Michael Nevell, brought everyone up-to-date with the project and some of the impacts of COVID-19, and Shane Gould of Historic England talked about current developments relating to Industrial Heritage. Members then discussed how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted their work from volunteering to maintenance and visitor numbers. There’s a report on the news section of this website. The next IHN East of England meeting will be in 2022, and at some stage in person.
Our founding members:
ASSOCIATION FOR INDUSTRIAL ARCHAEOLOGY
The Association for Industrial Archaeology (AIA) is the national organisation for Britain. The AIA encourages and promotes the public benefit of the study of, and research in, the archaeology of industry and the industrial period, and promotes education in the identification, recognition and conservation of the industrial heritage. The Association funds Restoration Grants; awards cash prizes for research and publications; sponsors new research; lobbies bodies concerned with legislation, planning and funding; unites individuals, local societies, academics and field professionals; represents industrial archaeology nationally and internationally; runs conferences and practical workshops; publishes a biannual academic journal, Industrial Archaeology Review, and a quarterly newsletter, Industrial Archaeology News.
BEELEIGH STEAM MILL
Beeleigh mill was a large flour mill on the river Chelmer near Maldon, Essex. The site, which is Grade II*, now comprises the building housing the steam engine and the drive gearing for its millstones, the brick housing for one of the waterwheels, and the two adjacent brick-lined barge docks used for loading flour for shipment to London. A group of volunteers, named the ‘Beeleigh Mill Restoration Group’ (‘BMRG’), was formed in October 2009 with the objective of restoring the historic 1845 steam plant of the ancient flour mill at Beeleigh, Maldon, Essex, and eventually developing a Visitor Centre on site. See: https://beeleighmill.org.uk/
CAMBRIDGE INDUSTRIAL ARCHAEOLOGY SOCIETY
The Society’s aim is to study and record the industrial history and artefacts of Cambridgeshire. It is affiliated to the Association of Industrial Archaeology (AIA) and the Cambridgeshire Association for Local History, and is one of the founder members of the East of England industrial Archaeology Conference (EERIAC).
CAMBRIDGE MUSEUM OF INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY
Cambridge Museum of Technology is based in a late 19th century pumping station. It houses displays on the pumping station’s history as well details of many of Cambridge’s forgotten industries and more recent high-tech companies. See: https://www.museumoftechnology.com/
ESSEX INDUSTRIAL ARCHAEOLOGY GROUP
The Essex Industrial Archaeology Group (EIAG) is a a specialist sub-group within the Essex Society for Archaeology and History (ESAH) in 2013. The scope of the group includes all industries which operated historically within Essex. See: https://www.esah1852.org.uk/eiag
EUROPEAN ROUTE OF INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE
ERIH is a membership network and sites pay an annual fee which varies according to the category of membership. The benefits of membership include enhanced profile, including a presence on ERIH’s well-used website (which currently attracts over 4000 visits per day) and its active social media pages; participation in ERIH conferences, events and initiatives; participation in local and regional routes of industrial heritage; and not least, association with a European organisation that is now recognised by the European institutions as the principle network for the promotion of industrial heritage tourism in Europe. To find out more about ERIH, please contact the England Coordinator on uk@erih.net.
FAKENHAM MUSUEM OF GAS
The museum is housed in Fakenham’s former gasworks. It is the only complete town gasworks in the country. The site produced gas from the heating of coal for 120 years before closure in 1965. It opened as a museum in 1987. See: http://fakenhamgasmuseum.com/
GREAT DUNMOW MALTINGS
Located in the market town of Great Dunmow, Essex, The Great Dunmow Maltings is a unique example of a classic restoration project which successfully combines its internationally recognised status as a popular, historic visitor attraction with dynamic community involvement as a thriving venue for private hire events, business meetings, conferences and civil wedding ceremonies – as well as being home to The Great Dunmow Town Museum. See: https://www.greatdunmowmaltings.uk/
Established in 2002, we preserve and protect records of milling heritage, fostering the cultural and educational values of mills and the milling community. A Nationally Accredited Archive Service, we are the UK’s specialist archive on the history of milling: the national centre for mill-related research, recording, learning and understanding; the appropriate repository for milling records. We care for over 250 collections of more than 3,000,000 documents and images, recording the rich and diverse crafts, buildings, equipment and people involved with mills. Over 76,000 of these records are freely available online and some 20 volunteers work to make more publicly accessible.
The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB)
SPAB believe old buildings have a future. From cottages to castles and from churches to cathedrals they are here to help buildings and the people who care for them. Based on years of experience and research SPAB understands how old buildings work. See: https://www.spab.org.uk/
WALTHAM ABBEY ROYAL GUNPODER MILLS
The purpose of the charity is to preserve, manage, research, conserve and display for the benefit of the general public and of the nation at large the historical and archaeological heritage of the Royal Gunpowder Mills, Waltham Abbey in the form of ancient monuments, listed buildings and the natural aspect features and bird, animal, tree and plant life. See: https://www.royalgunpowdermills.com/
Industrial Heritage Networks 