 Wallsuches was highly successful, and by 1780 the former shippon and hut had been converted into a bleach works powered by six water wheels.The Ridgways lived across the main access road from the works in a house called "Whitehouse", which they renamed "Ridgmont House", which still stands.Thomas Ridgmont sponsored French chemists Matthew Vallet and Anthony Bourboulon de Boneuil who pioneered the development of chemical bleaching, using chlorine and Wallsuches became one of the first to use the technology.