IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Shaddongate, CARLISLE, CA2 5UG

Ordnance Survey cut mark benchmark described on the Bench Mark Database at http://www.bench-marks.org.uk/bm30990

There is an OS benchmark Image on the corner of the nearest house, right hand face

The chimney is an Ordnance Survey intersected station trig point, see http://trigpointing.uk/trig/10522 for details

Ordnance Survey cut mark benchmark described on the Bench Mark Database at http://www.bench-marks.org.uk/bm30955

Built 1835-6 for Peter Dixon and Sons' cotton spinning mill at Shaddongate, originally standing at 300ft (91.4m) from ground level to top. The chimney then had a projecting cornice about 8ft below the rim, giving the appearance of a top hat. It was shortened for safety reasons a couple of times in the 20th century, the current height is 270ft. As well as dispersing smoke, the tall chimney was essential to provide a draught of air through the fires in the mill's boiler house http://www.geograph.org.uk/gallery/textile_mill_engines_9920/2 . The draught was put to further use when Carlisle became one of the first places in the country to use tall chimneys to aid in sewer ventilation. Dixon's chimney was one of about thirty in the city connected to the sewer system, which was constructed in 1855. This information, and more, found in the book 'Tall Chimney Construction' by RM and FJ Bancroft, publ. 1885 (archived online http://ia902705.us.archive.org/12/items/tallchimneyconst00banciala/tallchimneyconst00banciala.pdf ). It is sometimes claimed that Dixon's Chimney (completed Oct. 25th 1836) was the tallest in the country, but the Bancroft's book has another contender for that title. The chimney at Adams's Soap Works in Smethwick measured 312ft from ground to top, it was finished "in Sept. or Oct. 1836".

For information, see Image . The chimney is octagonal, constructed of brick with sandstone quoins. The outside diameter is 17ft 4in (5.28m) at ground level, originally tapering to 9ft (2.74m) at the top, before it was shortened. Below ground, four flues fed into the shaft from the boiler house, the end of which is seen on the right. Maintenance became a problem in the late 20th century, and the disused chimney was threatened with demolition. A series of metal restraining bands was put around the stack during this period, it must have been after 1986 as they do not appear in this photo : Image . Carlisle City Council bought Dixon's Chimney in the 1990s, and obtained external funding for the repair and preservation of this fondly regarded landmark - see Image .

Recording the restoration of the landmark chimney, completed in 1999. Its location can be seen in this photo taken from Junction StreetImage . The plaque was unveiled by Trudy Whalley, a long-serving city councillor and former Mayor of Carlisle, who was a prime mover in saving Dixon's Chimney from demolition.

Reputed to be the tallest building in Europe when it was built in 1836 to serve Shaddon Mill, Dixon’s Chimney was named after its builder and was originally 93m (305 feet) tall. It was shortened to 88m (290 feet) in 1950. The chimney is an Ordnance Survey Intersected Station trig point.

There is an OS benchmark Image on the stone at the base of the school wall about three feet left of a grey pipe emerging through the wall