Summary
Well preserved Lancashire cotton weaving mill of 1855 with alterations in 1895 and 1916.
Reasons for Designation
Britannia Mill, a weaving mill of 1855 with additions of 1895 and 1916, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Date: as a good, relatively early example of a purpose-built weaving mill incorporating a single storey north-light weaving shed;
* Survival: for the completeness of its complex, including its chimney, north-light shed and multi-storey block, together with the later replacement engine and boiler houses;
* Technology: the side-by-side survival of the 1857 and 1916 multi-storey blocks illustrates changes in typical mill building technology. The range of four broad types of cast iron columns within the mill also illustrates developments in design.
History
Britannia Mill was built in 1855-6 by Elizabeth Hargreaves, widow of Thomas, probably the same Mrs Hargreaves who was listed in an 1854 trade directory as a cotton manufacturer. The mill was in production by 1857 with 107 workers. It was sold to Robertson and Company of Union Mill Haslingden in 1883, but was rented by Joseph Thompson who in 1885 was operating 650 looms at Britannia Mill to produce shirtings, jaconnettes and cambrics. In 1889 the lease passed to the Industrial Manufacturing Company Ltd of Baxendale, operating 620 looms, this company then updated the mill's power plant in 1895. This new investment saw the replacement of the original vertical beam engine with its 20 inch and 30 inch compound cylinders, with a 250 horse power horizontal cross-compound engine with 17 and 30 inch cylinders, this engine being one of the last produced by the local firm of Furneval and Company Ltd. It was housed in a new engine house with modifications also probably being made to the boiler house. In 1910, operation of Britannia Mill was linked to that of the adjacent Albert Mill under the ownership of Anderton and Halstead Ltd, this company adding a new three storey block to Britannia Mill in 1916. The mill ceased weaving in 1952 and was used by CWS Ltd for the production of shoes and slippers until the mid 1970s, the mill subsequently being used for storage purposes.
Britannia Mill is a good example of the first wave of purpose-built cotton weaving mills incorporating single storey north-light sheds. This form of mill was introduced in Lancashire in the 1840s, the wide spans of the individual sections of the north-light roofs being particularly characteristic. The mill retains four broad types of cast iron columns incorporating fixings for power transmission, these illustrating developing technology, even though three of the types are believed part of the original build. The weaving shed includes one row of columns with open heads through which the primary motion line shaft would have passed, this form being typical of early-C19 mills, although those at Britannia Mill are unusual in incorporating a horizontal bearing bracket for a bevel gear. The rest of the columns in the weaving shed are of more typical mid-C19 design, incorporating a fixing plate for a line shaft hanger. Most of the columns in the preparation block are of a similar design, but with a small innovation: vertical slits designed to allow the adjustment to the alignment of the line shaft. The top floor of the preparation block and those of the 1916 block have columns that are more typical of late-C19 mills, having multiple bolting plates with provision for adjustment.
Details
Former textile mill for cotton weaving, 1855 with alterations in 1895 and 1916.
MATERIALS: mainly local yellow sandstone, squared and laid to courses, some later alterations in brick. Welsh slate roofs.
LAYOUT: three storey preparation block with a chimney, boiler house then engine house arranged in sequence beyond the east gable. The north light weaving shed extends around the south and east sides of this arrangement with a two storey office building rising through the south east corner. The three storey block added in 1916 extends to the north of the preparation block, flush with the latter's west gable. The mill yard extends east of this extension, along the northern side of the original buildings.
PREPARATION BLOCK: Exterior: this three storey, eight bay building is orientated east-west with a single, double-pitched roof. Fenestration is regular with tall, segmentally arched windows with stone slab sills, mainly retaining 12 pane fixed light timber windows. The ground floor north elevation has modified openings, with brick jambs and concrete lintels. The gables are stone coped, the east retaining the scar line thought to be that of the original two storey engine house. The ridgeline adjacent to the west gable is pierced by a square projection housing the headgear of the internal hoist.
Interior: all three floors have a central row of cast-iron columns supporting substantial timber beams, with timber joists spanning between these beams to support floorboards. The columns are cylindrical and hollow, those to the ground and first floor being of identical appearance, featuring a flat bolting plate on their north side for a line-shaft hanger, the plate designed to allow a degree of height adjustment for the line shaft. The columns on the second floor are thought to be late-C19 or early-C20 replacements and have multiple flat bolting faces for line shaft hangers. The building retains other evidence of the power transmission system including bearing boxes built into the walls, and bolt holes through ceiling beams for hangers. Linkage between floors is via a brick-walled stairwell in the south east corner, and via an inserted hoist placed centrally to the west gable. The ground floor has been subdivided with later partitions, the upper floors being open. The roof is supported by queen post trusses, the top floor ceiling beams acting as tie beams. The attic is floored, but only accessed via a ceiling hatch.
1916 EXTENSION BLOCK: Exterior: this three storey, seven bay block is orientated north-south, extending from the west end of the north elevation of the original Preparation Block. The building's roof is transverse, consisting of three two-bay spans, with a single bay span at the north end. The building is constructed of regular, machine-cut, rusticated yellow sandstone blocks laid to regular courses bedded with cement. Windows are very regular, and include four to each floor of the north elevation as well as to all seven bays to both east and west elevations. Windows have sandstone slab lintels and sills, most retaining 12 pane, fixed-light timber joinery. Some openings have been blocked or converted to doorways. On the ground floor, the two bays at either end of the east elevation are occupied by large loading doors with steel lintels. Rising from the north west corner of the building is a small chimney.
Interior: all three floors have a central row of cast-iron columns supporting steel beams which in turn support timber joists and floor boards. The top floor is open to the roof and its columns support the timber roof structure. The columns on all floors incorporate bolting faces for line shaft hangers with the exception of the southern two columns on the ground floor. These are in the one part of the building that is divided off from the rest, being a loading bay with a floor of stone sets and flagstones and a hoist and conveyor belt rising to the upper floors. Linkage through to the earlier preparation block to the south is via doorways on the ground and first floor. On the top floor there is a three bay wide break-through supported by a steel joist held up by iron columns.
POWERPLANT: Exterior: the engine house is of rubble sandstone construction with dressed sandstone quoins. The building is attached to the weaving shed and boiler house so that only the north wall is external, this being set back from the mill yard and having a tall, central window with a slightly embellished cast-iron lintel incorporating the date 1895. The lower portion of the window is blocked with brickwork. The top of the engine house carries a cast-iron water tank that also has a degree of embellishment. The boiler house to the west is utilitarian and thought to be a later build being of machine made brickwork. The chimney is considered to date to the 1850s and survives to full height (about 30m). It gently tapers and is built of regularly coursed sandstone blocks, with a simple band near the top.
Interior: the northern third of the engine house has been subdivided off to form part of an electricity substation. The engine house retains one transmission shaft with belt wheels that survives in situ, extending west from the engine house to the east gable of the preparation block. Various blocked openings mark the positions of other line shafts and bearing blocks. The boiler house retains coal fired boilers; however these are later heating boilers rather than steam raising boilers.
WEAVING SHED: Exterior: single storey with a north-light roof of 10 spans, the perimeter walls being blind and constructed of random sandstone rubble, punctuated only by cast iron downpipes serving the valley gutters.
Interior: the weaving shed is undivided internally except for a short section of corridor adjacent to the engine house leading to the mill yard to the north. The timber north-light roof structure is typical of early weaving sheds, having valleys spaced 20 feet (6.1m) apart supported by columns spaced at regular 10 feet (3.05m) intervals. The columns are slim, cylindrical, hollow cast-iron, the majority with a single bolting face for a line shaft hanger. The southernmost run of columns are of a different design, more typical of the late-C18 or early-C19, having an open head through which the line shaft would pass and a horizontal bearing plate for a bevel gear.
OFFICE BLOCK: Exterior: this is of four bays, two storeys with a pitched roof covered in Welsh slate. The building is utilitarian with random sandstone rubble walls with stone slab lintels and sills. The building has gable-end stacks and scattered fenestration, the ground floor being better lit than the first floor.
Interior: this is undivided, the timber first floor supported by iron stanchions, the ground floor being flagged.
