1892 Boden Club and Institute

Erected in 1892 by Henry and Walter Boden for the mill workers. Later used as a Reading Room and Public Library until 1998.

Messre. Heathcote and Boden who were prominent lace makers in Loughborough when the Luddite riots took place, decided to move their activities in 1817 to Tiverton in Devon. In the 1870’s Henry and Walter Boden took over the mill which was built by Wheatleys, later Wheatley and Rist. The large lace mill is at the centre of a complex of units constructed by Bodens in subsequent years.

Henry and Walter Boden built houses and gave an institute for their employees’ education. Here at Mill Lane is an example of some of the houses built.

The Blue Plaque was sponsored in connection with Chard 2000 by Mrs Shirley Ball, whose late husband Mervyn, was the librarian from 1962 to 1996.