The grand sluice iron works was founded in c.1803 by William Howden. It was the first engineering works in Lincolnshire, which made the first steam engine in Lincolnshire, and was in use until about 1880. It was then subdivided and used for other purposes. The square site now consists of three distinct strips, each extending from Witham town to the river Witham. The north strip is now a garden with a large house on the west end. The middle strip is a yard with two sets of simple single-storey workshops. The south strip has a small house at the east end, with a modern small factory over the rest of the site. To the west is a narrow strip about 20 feet wide, before a path on the bank of the river Witham. The large house was home to William Howden, the small house at the south east corner was the foreman's house. {1}{5} This record includes two Listed buildings - No. 11 Witham Bank (53.412) and No. 13 Witham Bank (53.413). No. 11 has a low cast iron screen with gates and pillars, all in an ogee design, in the front garden and is a large, grand 3 storey red brick house with bay windows, a balcony and a decorative wrought iron porch. It was built by William Howden, founder of the ironworks. No. 13 is smaller, though it still has a balcony and wrought iron decoration. It was probably the foreman's house. {6}{7}