More Cash for Tone Works
Tone Works in Wellington is to receive funds from the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund. It was one of among 142 historic sites across England selected for funding. In fact it was the only site in Somerset to be awarded funds in this latest round.
Until 2000, Tone Works was the cloth-finishing works of Fox Brothers and Co. Ltd. The company was one of the oldest and largest woollen and worsted manufacturers in the South-West. The firm was established in the late 18th century and based at nearby Tonedale Mills. Tone Works originated as a corn mill that was acquired by Thomas Fox in 1796.
The site was purchased by Somerset West & Taunton(SWT) council in 2020.
A £348,420 grant was received from the first round of the Heritage Stimulus Fund in January 2021. That money enabled the site to be fully decontaminated ready for safe commencement of the structural repairs.
The latest award is for £400,000. This money will be used to undertake structural repairs. The council will employ specialist conservation contractors, engineers, ecologists and joiners to carry out the work.
SWT also submitted a bid to the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government’s Levelling Up Fund in June. The application was for money to regenerate and transform Tone Works. The idea is that it will eventually be put to a mix of creative, community and commercial uses.
More information here https://www.wellingtonmills.org/toneworks