Tone Works Wellington, Somerset

Historic England’s technical conservation team commissioned this case study to examine how a heritage at risk building could be put back into viable use for the community to ensure the continued use of a historic building.

Tone Works is a Grade II* listed complex of buildings in Wellington, Somerset, placed on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk register in 2008. It once formed the North Range of the cloth finishing and dyeing works, reservoirs, and water systems that belonged to Fox Brothers & Co, known for its fine worsted, and woollen cloths. In January 2021 and December 2022, conservation works were undertaken to bring the building back into repair.

The purpose of this document is to highlight the multiple challenges faced by flooding, conservation principles, and team dynamics while recording the successes enabled by the team’s targeted approach to conservation. It also has the potential to inform the way urgent conservation repairs are considered at other Heritage at Risk sites which might be facing demolition due to a feasible use or impacts from climate change. This document will be of interest to local authorities, Surveyors and Architects, building owners, and others involved with sites at risk.

The project at Tone Works is ongoing and depends on further funding and creative collaboration to continue the conservation repairs still required.