The Crofton pump house and chimney were built in 1807 and started working in 1809.
To save money on the construction of the Kennet and Avon canal, the engineers decided to use a system of locks to raise the canal and reduce the length of the Crofton tunnel. But this left the summit of the canal about 40 ft (12 m) above any local water source so a pump was needed to supply water to the summit. The net savings were about £41,000 back in 1807, or about £8,000,000 today. Not chump change for sure.
I think the patches on the wall were where the beams for the 1812 Boulton and Watt pump were passed through the wall. It would appear that each side of the beam was passed through it's own hole in the wall and the beam was assembled inside the building.
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