24 Hour Museum - official guide to UK museums, galleries, exhibitions and heritage
Gateway to Over 3,000 UK museums, galleries and heritage attractions
Skip to navigation
Archaeologists Reveal Brunel Factory Site At SS Great Britain
By 24 Hour Museum Staff
22/10/2007
Curator Christian Redford (right) inspects the site. © Paul Box
Visitors to Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s steamship Great Britain in Bristol have been able to watch an archaeological dig unfold before them.
On October 22 they were able to glimpse the excavations of a tannery yard built on top of the site of the Great Western Steam Engine Factory, which is being investigated prior to work starting on the building of the Brunel Institute conservation and learning centre and new flats.
“We knew about the existence of the tannery yard, but it is interesting to witness the dig unfold and to be able to contribute to the Brunel archive – this will be one of the best recorded tannery yards in England,” said Phil Andrews, Senior Project Officer for Wessex Archaeology who are conducting the dig.
Underneath the tannery the archaeologists have located the floors used by Brunel’s workforce to build the engines for ss Great Britain in the 1840s. The dig aims to gather as much information as possible on the site’s use for the ss Great Britain Trust’s archives.
The Great Western Steam Engine Factory was the first ever purpose-built steam engine factory in the world. It was sold to the Great Western Tannery in 1852 and was later used as a timber yard, granary and warehouse, until it was destroyed in a World War Two bombing raid.
The Steam Engine Factory lies underneath the Great Western Tannery. © Paul Box
Where possible its surviving walls will be preserved and used in the new building development.
Christian Redford, curator at the ss Great Britain Trust, said: “While the revolutionary iron hull of the ss Great Britain was taking shape in the dry dock, her enormous engine and transmission gear were being constructed in the engine factory.”
“Nothing as large or powerful had been built before and the machinery in this building represented cutting edge technology. For example, we know that James Nasmyth invented the steam hammer to come into this building to work on steam ship engines.”
Excavations at the site will continue until the end of the year, with the new building work set to start in January 2008.
“With another two months of work to go, we are looking forward to seeing what else the archaeological team will discover, especially about the industrial processes that took place in the Great Western Steam Engine Factory,” added Christian.
Brunel's ss Great Britain, Bristol
Great Western Dock, Gas Ferry Road, Bristol, BS1 6TY, England
Open: The ship is open every day except Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
10am to 6.00pm, April - October (Last entry 5.00pm)
10am to 4.30pm, November - March (Last entry 3.30pm)
Related Articles
Nominations Open For Art Fund Prize For Museums And Galleries 2009
News In Brief - Week Ending August 10 2008
News In Brief - Week Endinig August 3 2008
Archaeologists Dig Up Historic Brunel Cement At SS Great Britain
Family Archive Sheds Light On History Of SS Great Britain
SS Great Britain Unveils Phase 2 Of Development Scheme With £30m Project
SS Great Britain On 2007 Conservation Awards Shortlist
E-news registration
E-mail story to a friend
Tell us what you think
Blitz And Dunkirk Veteran Thames Fireboat To Be Restored
News In Brief - Museums, Galleries And Heritage News
Massive Ted Hughes Archive Acquired By British Library
Art Fund Donates £1 Million To Save Titian's Diana And Actaeon
Youngsters Win Battlefield Trips To Mark 90th Anniversary Of Armistice
SEIZURE: Roger Hiorns And The Art Of Disappearing
Archaeological Dig To Uncover The Mysteries Of Carisbrooke Castle
Culture Secretary Andy Burnham Launches Library Debate
The Sackler Centre - The V&A's New Centre For Arts Education
T.M. Hemy Mauretania Oil Painting From QE2 Handed To Discovery Museum
English Heritage In Nationwide Search For Young History Presenter
National Trust Wades Into The Water And Flood Management Debate
Sir Christopher Frayling: 'Unlock Creative Potential Of Collections'
New Their Past Your Future Projects Bring Generations Together
News In Brief - Week Ending October 12 2008
Two Of Britain's Roman And Maritime Heritage Sites Get Major Funding Boost
Winners Of Young Archaeologist Of The Year Awards 2008 Announced
Shock And Gore - Controversial Artwork Opens Brighton Photo Biennial
Search this site
Home Page
News Page
Exhibition Page
What's On
Trails Page
Website of the Week
Letters Page
Welsh Home
Graphical Version
Copyright © 24 Hour Museum
Information published here was believed to be correct at the time it was prepared. Welsh language pages developed with CYMAL: Museums Archives and Libraries Wales, funded by the Welsh Assembly Government.