NHER 13651 (Monument record) - Fakenham Gas Works

1979.
Present retort house built 1846, retorts installed 1907 and 1910, heated by coke producer furnace and turned coal into gas which rose into ammoniacal liquor tank and condenser. Gas drawn from these into tar washer by Crossley gas engine powered exhauster. Hydrogen sulphide removed by bank of four 1906 purifiers; gasholder built 1888. Another holder of 1924 exists only as foundations. Also vertical steam boiler, coke crusher, offices, etc. Only preserved gasworks in England and Wales.
E. Rose (NAU), 1 February 1979.

1984. Survey.
Gas production began 1825.
From Norfolk Industrial Archaeology Society.
See (S1).

Atmospheric condensers by Firth Blakely 1953. Livesey washer 1920 Magnetic ignition gas engine for turo exhausters 1910. Early dry lute purifiers by Newton Chambers 1906. Wet drum meter 1929. Selection of retort house roofs retained. Last example of small horizontal handfired gas works.
For full details see (S2), (S3), (S4) and (S5).
E. Rose (NAU), 7 February 1985.

Note also that the works, now open as a museum, contains a number of items relating to gas production brought from various sites around Norfolk.
E. Rose (NLA), 17 September 2004.

November 2016. Watching Brief.
Monitoring of restorative groundworks at land to rear of gasworks.
The ground proved to be waterlogged and polluted with probable hydrocarbon contamination. As a result no further excavation or ground disturbance took place after the commencement of the watching brief, with the previously excavated area infilled with imported hoggin/cobble material. A probable gas pipe was noted protruding from the flooded area of the works and an in-situ wheel-shaped gas valve was also recorded in the eastern half of the plot.
See report (S7) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 29 December 2023.