Our exploration began in the ground Germination Floor of malting house #9. Most of the windows had been boarded up, giving
the area a dingy and dark feel. Equipment and pipes were scattered around; these had nothing to do with the malting process
and had been left behind after the buildings were used for poultry rearing and storage.
It was decided we would explore malting house #9 fully before pressing on towards malting house #5 (which was in the centre of the site). That
way we would cover and entire malting block and some of the more interesting central areas. As it turned out, it was a
perfect strategy.
The construction of the Germination Floor comprised cast iron columns supporting enormous girders which, in turn, supported cast
iron joists. The ceiling was completed with a concrete barrelling between the joists.
A flight of concrete steps lead up onto the first floor.
