Yesterday marked the exploration of my 100th textile mill, and as many have done over the past few months I've decided to reflect back over the past decade at some of the sights the textile industry has brought to the table. I've focused on the mills of Lancashire and Yorkshire, although I could share as many photos again from the Scottish wool and Jute industry, as well as the other mills dotted around the UK.
Like coal and shipbuilding, I've developed a heavy interest in the textile industry. The "dark satanic mills" of the North of England are structures to be marvelled at, almost standing as a relic from the days when our empire's need for textiles was relentless. The rise and fall of this once great industry is a fascinating turbulent tale, and the more I learnt the more I wanted to see for myself
A decent mill offers a lot to an explorer. They usually have a tower to climb, stunning tile work to gawk at and are most probably a hundred years old or so, which means your bound to find something of antiquity if you look hard enough. The sight of a mill lying in a valley as you drive over a hill gives me a great felling inside, and if it has broken windows that feeling is accentuated. We've had some great fun in these buildings over the years, working out how to climb fetted rotten towers, or how to get down into the wheel race. Most of all it's been a great experience having the pleasure of a gentle wander around the vast shop floors, imagining them with the clatter of loom or spinning machine.
The images from the 70's and 80's of mill after mill standing idle and being demolished, their chimneys being toppled made me thirsty to see some of these majestic beasts of buildings for myself, and they have not disappointed. On the whole I am easily pleased, a wicker skep or a few stray bobbins will satisfy me that I have seen something from the industry, even if the machines have long since been removed.
Below are a selection of images, not all photographically brilliant, but in my opinion encapsulate a snapshot of an industry which has largely vanished from the North of England...
I just hope I get to see a hundred more before they are all converted or smashed to rubble!
Like coal and shipbuilding, I've developed a heavy interest in the textile industry. The "dark satanic mills" of the North of England are structures to be marvelled at, almost standing as a relic from the days when our empire's need for textiles was relentless. The rise and fall of this once great industry is a fascinating turbulent tale, and the more I learnt the more I wanted to see for myself
A decent mill offers a lot to an explorer. They usually have a tower to climb, stunning tile work to gawk at and are most probably a hundred years old or so, which means your bound to find something of antiquity if you look hard enough. The sight of a mill lying in a valley as you drive over a hill gives me a great felling inside, and if it has broken windows that feeling is accentuated. We've had some great fun in these buildings over the years, working out how to climb fetted rotten towers, or how to get down into the wheel race. Most of all it's been a great experience having the pleasure of a gentle wander around the vast shop floors, imagining them with the clatter of loom or spinning machine.
The images from the 70's and 80's of mill after mill standing idle and being demolished, their chimneys being toppled made me thirsty to see some of these majestic beasts of buildings for myself, and they have not disappointed. On the whole I am easily pleased, a wicker skep or a few stray bobbins will satisfy me that I have seen something from the industry, even if the machines have long since been removed.
Below are a selection of images, not all photographically brilliant, but in my opinion encapsulate a snapshot of an industry which has largely vanished from the North of England...
I just hope I get to see a hundred more before they are all converted or smashed to rubble!
still has some of the old features & old skool lift i'll get some snaps next time i'm in.
