Crew's Hole (Crews) Copper Smelt Mill (United Kingdom)

The site was leased to the Elton & Tyndall copper company until about 1796 and Matthews & Arnold had a brass and spelter (zinc) works in Crews Hole in the 1820s. A map dated around 1803 showed the 'Old Brass Works' where the cupolas were sited but also shows a separate 'Copper Works' adjacent to Troopers Hill. This works is located exactly where the flue from Troopers Hill chimney came down to the riverside. Since the hill and the riverside site were both owned by the Brass Company it seems very likely that the chimney was built to serve the new Copper Works in the 1790s. It is certain that the chimney was built before 1826 as it is shown in a drawing from this date. By the end of the 1800s the chimney was being used by Stone & Tinson who had a large works on the site of the copper smelter. They continued to use the chimney until around the time of the First World War. Butlers took over the Stone & Tinson site in 1924 after it had closed but by then the chimney was disused so it was never re-used by Butlers.