Everyone knows Tonedale and Tone Mills Dye Works, the sprawling mass of former mill buildings separated by around a mile, which at one point formed the largest complex of mill buildings in southwest England and has been disused largely since the late 1990s. It's been an explorer's dream playground for years and I myself have made around half a dozen trips to the Dye House part alone over the last decade or so as it was always - until fairly recently - a guaranteed easy and exceptional explore. That sadly (or not, in the case of building preservation) changed a couple of years back when the local council ordered works to be undertaken to secure and safeguard the structure - involving asbestos removal, a clear-out of rubble and detritus inside, and sealing up the access that had been open for probably the best part of fifteen years at that point. As of now it's a lot more well secured, allegedly with cameras and alarms covering it but that much I cannot confirm as fact.
Anyway, getting back to the topic at hand. I had made two previous visits to Tonedale Mill, one in 2015 about a week after the security that had previously been very present with cameras and dogs all over the place decided to bugger off never to return. A second visit in mid-2021 was had and I'll be honest I had forgotten in the interim years how amazing this complex of buildings was. Whilst largely stripped during the first failed attempt at conversion which was brought to a halt by a certain financial snafu that occured in 2008, the important thing is the good stuff there was still very good. It has, in my opinion, the single best mill engine house anywhere in the country which currently exists in derelict form, containing complete sets of steam, electric and diesel power generating equipment as well as a trio of massive Lancashire boilers plus a bonus slightly more modern one. Although looking at the space in the boiler house, there would have originally been room for five Lancashire boilers which would have truly been a sight to behold. Over the years storms and decay have done more damage to the buildings with various roof and wall collapses taking out structures but overall, the main bulk of the complex still stands as it has for years.
Those who have been there know that situated towards the eastern end of the site is a bunch of other buildings which were also part of the Tonedale Mills complex. These buildings were converted after closure of the mill and had, until fairly recently, been home to a few small businesses including an antiques centre, blinds and curtains retailer and a mechanics among others and indeed I do believe one of the units may still be owned by a scaffolding company as storage. However these buildings are now also largely disused and following a tip-off from one of the friends I was with, we ventured into parts unknown. It's honestly a slightly weird feeling finding something 'new' at one of the most well known derelict locations in the south, it had shades of somewhere like Harperbury Hospital with it's mix of buildings closed in the 1990s and then stuff closing way up into the mid-2010s at the time. Whilst these buildings were very stripped, you could see how original and relatively unmodernised they were, and crucially, almost totally free of damage. There were still a few parts hidden behind securely locked doors though, so I'm sure there is more here to see for anyone curious enough to try and find a way around them.
I also, of course, spent a lot of time in the engine room and had a play around with my criminally under-utilised prime lens. Honestly out of all the places I've been and all the buildings I've seen, I would happily live in the engine room here, it is that good. After spending a lot longer than originally intended here and thoroughly enjoying time with a group of friends wandering around a quality industrial ruin, we retired to the local Wetherspoons and had a surprisingly above-average meal. I definitely need more days like that this year.
Unfortunately I didn't get many external photos at all due to me being extremely hangry by the end of the day - except for this lovely view of the more well-trodden areas, from an upstairs window.
The only piece of equipment left was this curious contraption which I assume was some sort of hoist, it being fixed into the floor beside a set of trapdoors.
And to finish up, some shots from the big building and engine/boiler house.
Thanks for looking
Anyway, getting back to the topic at hand. I had made two previous visits to Tonedale Mill, one in 2015 about a week after the security that had previously been very present with cameras and dogs all over the place decided to bugger off never to return. A second visit in mid-2021 was had and I'll be honest I had forgotten in the interim years how amazing this complex of buildings was. Whilst largely stripped during the first failed attempt at conversion which was brought to a halt by a certain financial snafu that occured in 2008, the important thing is the good stuff there was still very good. It has, in my opinion, the single best mill engine house anywhere in the country which currently exists in derelict form, containing complete sets of steam, electric and diesel power generating equipment as well as a trio of massive Lancashire boilers plus a bonus slightly more modern one. Although looking at the space in the boiler house, there would have originally been room for five Lancashire boilers which would have truly been a sight to behold. Over the years storms and decay have done more damage to the buildings with various roof and wall collapses taking out structures but overall, the main bulk of the complex still stands as it has for years.
Those who have been there know that situated towards the eastern end of the site is a bunch of other buildings which were also part of the Tonedale Mills complex. These buildings were converted after closure of the mill and had, until fairly recently, been home to a few small businesses including an antiques centre, blinds and curtains retailer and a mechanics among others and indeed I do believe one of the units may still be owned by a scaffolding company as storage. However these buildings are now also largely disused and following a tip-off from one of the friends I was with, we ventured into parts unknown. It's honestly a slightly weird feeling finding something 'new' at one of the most well known derelict locations in the south, it had shades of somewhere like Harperbury Hospital with it's mix of buildings closed in the 1990s and then stuff closing way up into the mid-2010s at the time. Whilst these buildings were very stripped, you could see how original and relatively unmodernised they were, and crucially, almost totally free of damage. There were still a few parts hidden behind securely locked doors though, so I'm sure there is more here to see for anyone curious enough to try and find a way around them.
I also, of course, spent a lot of time in the engine room and had a play around with my criminally under-utilised prime lens. Honestly out of all the places I've been and all the buildings I've seen, I would happily live in the engine room here, it is that good. After spending a lot longer than originally intended here and thoroughly enjoying time with a group of friends wandering around a quality industrial ruin, we retired to the local Wetherspoons and had a surprisingly above-average meal. I definitely need more days like that this year.
Unfortunately I didn't get many external photos at all due to me being extremely hangry by the end of the day - except for this lovely view of the more well-trodden areas, from an upstairs window.
The only piece of equipment left was this curious contraption which I assume was some sort of hoist, it being fixed into the floor beside a set of trapdoors.
And to finish up, some shots from the big building and engine/boiler house.
Thanks for looking
