Monument record SWD 008 - Southwold Salt Works; Salt Creek

Site of Southwold Salt Works (1660-1900). `Now little trace of the works or the wind pump at the head of Salt Creek, which supplied brine, though the salt works cottage still exists, as does the salt in the walls of the new buildings on the site'. Established 1660 according to works logo stamp in museum. Closed 1900 being unable to commercially compete with other producers. Probably closely related to fishing industry - Southwold was designated centre of the Free British Fishery in 1750. Salt works shown as small house on map of Thomas Gardiner in 1754 and Salt Tax Office (for which he was the officer) in the town (S1).
A linear series of ponds to the S shown on the 1976 OS map (S2) may be salt pans. Salt production and/or storage in Southwold is recorded prior to 1509 when Wm Godell willed `houses with all the salt in them' to Southwold (S1). For further details and references to the saltworks, see (S4)(S5)(R1)