Shoreham Cement Works, Shoreham - September 2012

There has been a limestone quarry on this site since 1851, which in conjunction with the nearby Shoreham and Steyning Railway, brought about a large amount of rail based traffic to and from the site. However, the railway was closed to passenger traffic on 7th March 1966 and whilst part of the original line between Shoreham and Bramber stayed open to support the activities of the Cement Works, the running down of the site started in 1980, when the rail links to the site were removed. By the end of the 1980's, the site was deemed as obselete and the end to production on the site in 1991 marked the end of over 150 years of activity. The sites' owners had never been placed under any kind of obligation to demolish the buildings or restore the landscape to its original natural state (it is carved deeply into a substantial hillside and very pretty river valley), so production was simply halted, leaving the buildings and particularly the huge chimney as a well known local monument. The site stands in two halves split by the main road with a tunnel connecting the two halves of the site. The western side is the main entrance to the site and the distribution plant, offices and administrative blocks. To the east side stands the industrial site and quarry. The 2 halves of the site were originally connected by a walkway that traversed the road, giving the impression of a monumental gateway into the South Downs. This was removed in the late 80's or early 90's for safety reasons.

I'd been wanting to visit here for a long time, finally managed to get around to going and it was totally worth the wait. While there isn't really a great deal of things there, it's really impressive, just the sheer scale of everything. After a rather comedy entrance we were in, then bumped into two other explorers whilst making our way down to the buildings (no idea of names, but if it was you then hello!). Had a great time and really enjoyed the mooch.

This was a huge building, the two cylinders above stretched the whole length. Looking down the left side of the building. Looking down the right side. Through the middle. Up high. Big pipes. A roller, the whole cylinder rotates. A dark stairwell. A lovely asbestos roof. Bottom of cement silos. From the bottom end. One of the conveyor belts that went up to the silos. Some room. Wall fan. Some controls. Some parts of the building had seen better days. Names of some of the sites visitors. More gantry cranes. Cement trucks. Me!