Watchet's Heritage - The Foundry
The fine, carved stone facia declares, should there be any doubt, that this for
many years was a foundry.
Founded in the nineteenth century and operated and owned by the well known Glidden family. Today, in nearby Williton, the family still trades from their premises in Priest Street but have long since ceased any foundry work.
There was considerable demand for specific machine parts from the Paper Mill, The Brendon Hill mines and other smaller mills in the district. There are also a number of Victorian cast-iron ranges surviving. It was, however, not the only foundry. J Chidgey & Sons, who operated from Mount Pleasant, produced water wheels and turbines as well as some specialised brass moulding.
Water wheels produced by Chidgey and manhole covers by Glidden are still in existence today as testament to their skill and the endurance of their product.
For further information about the town as a whole,
please visit the home page or click
Here
This page is provided by Watchet Conservation Society with the help of Watchet Chamber of Trade
and with funding from Somerset West & Taunton Council's High Street Emergency Fund.
Text and history provided by Nick Cotton