One from the backlog... A quick mooch whilst in the area turned into avoiding workers whilst wondering why I could constantly hear what sounded like an eagle screeching. Hit what I could because of the presence of the workers, unfortunately the labs and offices were well sealed.
The History
Bottoms Mill, also historically known as Harpin's Mill, was established in 1825 by John Harpin & Co. in Austonley, near Holmfirth, West Yorkshire. The mill was purpose built for the woollen textile industry, housing machinery for processes such as scribbling, carding, slubbing, spinning, and fulling woollen cloth.
It utilised water from the River Holme, channelled via a goit into a mill pond, to power its machinery. When water was insufficient, a steam engine provided additional power. By 1833, the mill employed 52 workers, including children under 10 years old, reflecting the labour practices of the time.
In 1911, a 150-foot red chimney was added which remains a prominent landmark today.
The Holmfirth Flood
The disaster began in the early hours of the 5th February 1852, triggered by the collapse of the Bilberry Reservoir Dam, which had been filled to capacity by heavy rain resulting in failure of the weak structure under the pressure.
An estimated 86 million gallons of water was released down the Holme valley, destroying housing, farmland, bridges and numerous mills, with floodwater reaching as far down the valley as Lockwood near Huddersfield. The flood claimed the lives of 81 people, with entire families being wiped out by the torrent of water.
During the catastrophic flood, the mill sustained damage though no lives were lost at the mill itself as stated in an extract from the 1910 book, The Holmfirth Flood.
'Progressing down the stream, we come to Harpin or Bottoms Mill, then occupied by Messrs. Barber & Co., as a woollen mill. Here, also, five workmen had miraculous escapes. It was usual for the fullers to sleep in the mill, and in Bottoms Mill there were five of them, who were aroused from their sleep by the loud noise and crashing of machinery. They rushed upstairs, and succeeded in climbing upon the rafters; but even here they were pursued by the relentless waters, and for upwards of an hour they were nearly covered, but after that time the waters subsided, and they all escaped.'
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the mill changed hands multiple times, with operations by firms such as T. & J. Tinker, who were noted worsted manufacturers.
Premier Hank Dyers
Premier Hank Dyers Limited was a textile finishing company specialising in the dyeing of hank yarns, a traditional method where yarn is dyed in skein form. Established on October 30, 2001, the company was the last to operate from Bottoms Mill.
The company's primary business activity fell under the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code 13300, which pertains to the finishing of textiles. As of March 31, 2019, Premier Hank Dyers Limited reported 18 employees and held assets totaling approximately £983,600, with net assets of £366,200. The company was majority owned by Premier Hank Dyers (Holdings) Limited, which controlled over 75% of the shares and voting rights. The directors during this period included Mr. Richard Iain Hoyes and Mr. Kevin Lee Daley.
In March 2020, the company's registered office was changed from Bottoms Mill, Holmfirth, to DLP House, 46 Prescott Street, Halifax. Subsequently, Premier Hank Dyers Limited entered liquidation, with the latest financial accounts filed up to March 31, 2019.
In recent years, efforts have been made to preserve and enhance the area surrounding Bottoms Mill. In 2018, the River Holme Connections project improved footpaths and installed information boards to encourage public engagement with the site's natural and historical significance.
The Explore
Gained access via some dodgy climbing which brought me into an empty warehouse space, not very promising. The basement level was uninteresting, so headed up to the main floor. Some nice decay, along with an Avery scale and a gantry crane which was climbable at least.
Gauge -
Decay -
Back down and tried to find a way deeper into the mill, coming across a goods lift along with some chemicals and a some sample fabrics discarded in a back room.
Was looking like game over from here until I spied a hole in the rear wall. Climbed up to it, and lo and behold, we have the main mill! It was at this point I was able to hear the eagle screech, which would accompany me for the rest of the explore.
Date Stone -
Made my way to the left first, being wary of whether anyone was about as I had been told prior that part of the site is active. Came across a staff room that was decaying away nicely first off.
Sample Rack -
PPE -
Microwave -
Holidays -
Beyond this was a rather a lot of machinery in various states of dismantlement.
Rollers -
There's a nice room off to the right next to these.
Trapped Hanks -
Tubs -
Scale -
Switchgear -
There was an intact machine by itself in the next room over. I heard voices at this point, so continued slowly on high alert.
Ahead of me was the labs and office space, but unfortunately there was no way into them, so I headed left again away from the voices. There is a recessed area here with yet more machinery.
Control Panel -
Regain Tester -
Clock Cards -
Made my way outside from here and there is yet more machinery along with various Plant stored under cover, with a massive wall separating the scrapyard beyond from the abandoned part of the mill.
Carding Machine -
Digger -
Back inside towards the room where I heard the voices. It's completely empty bar a couple of parked up Counterbalances and the previously mentioned machine which I think is a Calendering Machine.
I was about to stroll in when I clocked a couple of workers having a chin wag. They somehow hadn't seen me, so I slowly backed up from the door and darted back the way I came.
View from the Door -
Made my way back past the hole and down the corridor, being careful making my way past other doors into the occupied room. Not too much down this way save for some colouring tanks.
Signage -
Tanks -
I reached a dead in which had some nice decay and appeared to have been used as a chemical store.
Decay -
Chemical Store -
I believe the screeching eagle was some sort of weird attempt at an alarm, with it watching over the counterbalance room, so presumably it was being triggered by the workers. I never did find the source, but it was loudest around that area, was so strange. That's all anyway, made my way back through the hole and back out of the sketchy access.
Oddities
Damn it Kevin -
Fire Door -
For the Batmobile? -
Onions... -
For anyone interested in paying the site a visit, I did swing by for something to break up the journey on my recent visit to Scotland. No idea on the state of the hole in the wall as we didn't get that far, but access has been sealed up, with a different window higher up tantalisingly left open making the climb even more lethal should you fall. We did try, and it leads to a sealed off room unfortunately.
Thanks for looking!
The History
Bottoms Mill, also historically known as Harpin's Mill, was established in 1825 by John Harpin & Co. in Austonley, near Holmfirth, West Yorkshire. The mill was purpose built for the woollen textile industry, housing machinery for processes such as scribbling, carding, slubbing, spinning, and fulling woollen cloth.
It utilised water from the River Holme, channelled via a goit into a mill pond, to power its machinery. When water was insufficient, a steam engine provided additional power. By 1833, the mill employed 52 workers, including children under 10 years old, reflecting the labour practices of the time.
In 1911, a 150-foot red chimney was added which remains a prominent landmark today.
The Holmfirth Flood
The disaster began in the early hours of the 5th February 1852, triggered by the collapse of the Bilberry Reservoir Dam, which had been filled to capacity by heavy rain resulting in failure of the weak structure under the pressure.
An estimated 86 million gallons of water was released down the Holme valley, destroying housing, farmland, bridges and numerous mills, with floodwater reaching as far down the valley as Lockwood near Huddersfield. The flood claimed the lives of 81 people, with entire families being wiped out by the torrent of water.
During the catastrophic flood, the mill sustained damage though no lives were lost at the mill itself as stated in an extract from the 1910 book, The Holmfirth Flood.
'Progressing down the stream, we come to Harpin or Bottoms Mill, then occupied by Messrs. Barber & Co., as a woollen mill. Here, also, five workmen had miraculous escapes. It was usual for the fullers to sleep in the mill, and in Bottoms Mill there were five of them, who were aroused from their sleep by the loud noise and crashing of machinery. They rushed upstairs, and succeeded in climbing upon the rafters; but even here they were pursued by the relentless waters, and for upwards of an hour they were nearly covered, but after that time the waters subsided, and they all escaped.'
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the mill changed hands multiple times, with operations by firms such as T. & J. Tinker, who were noted worsted manufacturers.
Premier Hank Dyers
Premier Hank Dyers Limited was a textile finishing company specialising in the dyeing of hank yarns, a traditional method where yarn is dyed in skein form. Established on October 30, 2001, the company was the last to operate from Bottoms Mill.
The company's primary business activity fell under the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code 13300, which pertains to the finishing of textiles. As of March 31, 2019, Premier Hank Dyers Limited reported 18 employees and held assets totaling approximately £983,600, with net assets of £366,200. The company was majority owned by Premier Hank Dyers (Holdings) Limited, which controlled over 75% of the shares and voting rights. The directors during this period included Mr. Richard Iain Hoyes and Mr. Kevin Lee Daley.
In March 2020, the company's registered office was changed from Bottoms Mill, Holmfirth, to DLP House, 46 Prescott Street, Halifax. Subsequently, Premier Hank Dyers Limited entered liquidation, with the latest financial accounts filed up to March 31, 2019.
In recent years, efforts have been made to preserve and enhance the area surrounding Bottoms Mill. In 2018, the River Holme Connections project improved footpaths and installed information boards to encourage public engagement with the site's natural and historical significance.
The Explore
Gained access via some dodgy climbing which brought me into an empty warehouse space, not very promising. The basement level was uninteresting, so headed up to the main floor. Some nice decay, along with an Avery scale and a gantry crane which was climbable at least.
Gauge -
Decay -
Back down and tried to find a way deeper into the mill, coming across a goods lift along with some chemicals and a some sample fabrics discarded in a back room.
Was looking like game over from here until I spied a hole in the rear wall. Climbed up to it, and lo and behold, we have the main mill! It was at this point I was able to hear the eagle screech, which would accompany me for the rest of the explore.
Date Stone -
Made my way to the left first, being wary of whether anyone was about as I had been told prior that part of the site is active. Came across a staff room that was decaying away nicely first off.
Sample Rack -
PPE -
Microwave -
Holidays -
Beyond this was a rather a lot of machinery in various states of dismantlement.
Rollers -
There's a nice room off to the right next to these.
Trapped Hanks -
Tubs -
Scale -
Switchgear -
There was an intact machine by itself in the next room over. I heard voices at this point, so continued slowly on high alert.
Ahead of me was the labs and office space, but unfortunately there was no way into them, so I headed left again away from the voices. There is a recessed area here with yet more machinery.
Control Panel -
Regain Tester -
Clock Cards -
Made my way outside from here and there is yet more machinery along with various Plant stored under cover, with a massive wall separating the scrapyard beyond from the abandoned part of the mill.
Carding Machine -
Digger -
Back inside towards the room where I heard the voices. It's completely empty bar a couple of parked up Counterbalances and the previously mentioned machine which I think is a Calendering Machine.
I was about to stroll in when I clocked a couple of workers having a chin wag. They somehow hadn't seen me, so I slowly backed up from the door and darted back the way I came.
View from the Door -
Made my way back past the hole and down the corridor, being careful making my way past other doors into the occupied room. Not too much down this way save for some colouring tanks.
Signage -
Tanks -
I reached a dead in which had some nice decay and appeared to have been used as a chemical store.
Decay -
Chemical Store -
I believe the screeching eagle was some sort of weird attempt at an alarm, with it watching over the counterbalance room, so presumably it was being triggered by the workers. I never did find the source, but it was loudest around that area, was so strange. That's all anyway, made my way back through the hole and back out of the sketchy access.
Oddities
Damn it Kevin -
Fire Door -
For the Batmobile? -
Onions... -
For anyone interested in paying the site a visit, I did swing by for something to break up the journey on my recent visit to Scotland. No idea on the state of the hole in the wall as we didn't get that far, but access has been sealed up, with a different window higher up tantalisingly left open making the climb even more lethal should you fall. We did try, and it leads to a sealed off room unfortunately.
Thanks for looking!
