Sudbury Gasworks rescued and restored
Saturday 17 June 2023
The Old Gasworks, in the Derbyshire village of Sudbury, opened in 1875 and was designed by George Devey, a noted architect of the time. Gas was produced from coal and piped to provide lighting for Sudbury Hall and houses in the village. The gasholder was dismantled in the 1930s and the building stood empty and deteriorated for many years.
With grants from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and other sources, the original retort house has now been restored, and a new circular meeting room constructed on the footprint of the former gasholder.
This Heritage Day is one of the first chances to see the gasworks in its new guise, learn about the development of artificial lighting and its use on country house estates, and the extensive improvements made to Sudbury Hall and the village in the 19th Century.