News / Cheese Lane
Historic shot tower receives an ‘eco makeover’
A historic tower that harks back to Bristol’s industrial past – and the subsequent air pollution – has received an “eco makeover” thanks to a funding package from a local authority.
Cheese Lane Shot Tower is a living testament to Bristol’s industrial heritage. It has towered over the city’s skyline for two centuries, in one form or another, and was once the envy of the industrial world, even receiving royal approval.
However, in the past 40 years, it has been blacklisted as one of the biggest polluters in the city.
Today, the tower is home to the charity The Workforce Development Trust. Branded as a “brutalist behemoth,” it stands just a stone’s throw from Temple Way. Originally, it served as the headquarters of Sheldon Bush and Patent Shot Company Limited, a manufacturer and supplier of lead shot.
John Rogers (left), chief executive of The Workforce Development Trust, described the tower’s recent transformation as “quite the turnaround” – photo: The Workforce Development Trust
The current version of the tower was built in the late 1960s as a replacement for the original 18th-century shot tower.
William Watts, who made and lost a fortune from lead spheres, was the mastermind behind the tower and the innovative technology that brought him fame.
The first lead shot tower, located on Redcliff Hill opposite St Mary Redcliffe Church, was built by Watts on the grounds of his own home.
Watts dug a pit to create a 90-foot drop, through which molten lead was poured from the top of the tower and cooled in a pool of water below, producing perfectly spherical lead shot used in muskets. Watts patented this method in 1782.
His fame spread far and wide, even earning him an audience with King George III.
However, Watts lost his fortune after investing in a monumental building project, Windsor Terrace, overlooking the Clifton Suspension Bridge, also known as Watts’ Folly.
The gravity-defying structure swallowed up his wealth due to the massive costs incurred in the process where the retaining wall needed to support the elevated terrace.
In 1794, Watts went bankrupt before the foundations were completed, falling victim to a speculative development boom triggered by the Napoleonic wars and, in his case, Bristol’s unforgiving topography.
The tower’s 20th-century successor, with its distinctive 12-sided top, continued to produce lead shot until the late 1980s. It has since found new lease of life as an office building and remains one of only three surviving shot towers in England.
The first lead shot tower, located on Redcliff Hill opposite St Mary Redcliffe Church, was constructed by Watts on the site of his own house – photo: Martin Tester
However, in the 1980s, local press, particularly the Bristol Evening Post, slated the company behind the shot tower, accusing it of “poisoning birdlife and damaging wetlands across the city” by releasing toxic chemicals into local waterways.
Lead shot continued to be manufactured in Bristol until the 1990s, when production ceased due to serious environmental concerns.
Fast forward to 2024, and the office complex, which has an 80+ capacity, is undergoing a transformation from a “toxic waste producer” into an energy-efficient modern office space.
John Rogers, chief executive of The Workforce Development Trust, described the tower’s recent transformation as “quite the turnaround”.
“It is ironic that a building, which at one point was producing a cocktail of toxic chemicals causing untold environmental damage, can now be a symbol of a cleaner, greener future and economy for the city,” he said.
The funding, provided by the West of England Combined Authority’s (WECA) Green Business Grant, was used to fully upgrade and retrofit the building with a range of carbon reduction measures, including low-energy LED lighting and solar panels.
Dan Norris, metro mayor, said: “It’s great to see our Green Business Grants making a real impact on an iconic piece of Bristol’s skyline. Cheese Lane is a towering example of how my mayoral combined authority is helping local businesses harness solar power.”
According to the WECA, the £2m Green Business Grant is designed to support SMEs in the region by helping them purchase and install products and equipment that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, cut utility costs, and improve energy efficiency.
“I’m proud of how we’ve helped over 700 businesses in the West of England cut costs and reduce carbon emissions, helping us reach net zero in a just way,” said Norris.
Under the makeover, 16 solar panels have been installed on the roof of the Grade II-listed building.
Cheese Lane Shot Tower is a shot away from Temple Way and the headquarters of Sheldon Bush and Patent Shot Company Limited, which manufactured and supplied lead shot photo: Martin Booth
The Workforce Development Trust, a charity that supports the NHS and other frontline public services in developing and maintaining a sustainable workforce, estimates that up to 18 per cent of its energy usage will now come from solar power – equivalent to a reduction of 2 tonnes of greenhouse gases per year.
“It’s a start,” said Rogers. “But we know there’s much further to go to reach our net zero target by 2030.”
Main photo: Martin Booth
Read next:
Our top newsletters emailed directly to you
