Background and History
Brierfield is an excellent example of a Pennine Lancashire town that developed around a large cotton manufacturing mill complex. Brierfield Mill itself was first built in 1838 and was enlarged throughout the course of the next hundred years. At its prime in 1948, the company owned 79,284 mule spindles and 13,100 ring spindles in the two spinning mills and 2,800 looms in four weaving sheds.*
The mill, which is located picturesquely alongside a canal, is the focal point of the Brierfield Mills Conservation Area. Since it closed its doors in 2007, both the condition of the historic industrial complex and the prospects for the economic life of the town, have deteriorated. The conservation area was placed on the Heritage at Risk Register in 2009.
*Mule spindles and ring spindles and were used to spin fibres to make yarn. The main difference between the two is that the spinning mule used an intermittent process whereas the ring frame used a continuous process. Power looms were machines used to weave cloth.
What's the current situation?
Concerned about its fate, the Council took the courageous decision to buy the vast site (385,000 square feet) for £1.5m from the Homes and Communities Agency, after plans to convert it to a school fell through. Brierfield Mill is now owned by PEARL (Brierfield Mill) Ltd, a joint venture set up between Barnfield Construction and Pendle Borough Council.
PEARL plans to bring the site back into use as part of multi-million pound mixed-use development, implemented over several phases. Current ideas include incorporating a police building, a hotel, marina and retirement village within the former mill complex.
NOTE: This is my first ever report, not even sure if it's in the correct forum, but I hope you enjoyed reading through and checking the few photos I've put on! I went to this place with a buddy called Kallim. The mill is located towards the bottom of the town, conveniently opposite the Brierfield Train Station
This was inconveniently placed in a dark corner (just above some stairs) by a security guard, pissed my pants!
This was the extremely wobbly first floor, the rain got through to the ground floor.
Brierfield is an excellent example of a Pennine Lancashire town that developed around a large cotton manufacturing mill complex. Brierfield Mill itself was first built in 1838 and was enlarged throughout the course of the next hundred years. At its prime in 1948, the company owned 79,284 mule spindles and 13,100 ring spindles in the two spinning mills and 2,800 looms in four weaving sheds.*
The mill, which is located picturesquely alongside a canal, is the focal point of the Brierfield Mills Conservation Area. Since it closed its doors in 2007, both the condition of the historic industrial complex and the prospects for the economic life of the town, have deteriorated. The conservation area was placed on the Heritage at Risk Register in 2009.
*Mule spindles and ring spindles and were used to spin fibres to make yarn. The main difference between the two is that the spinning mule used an intermittent process whereas the ring frame used a continuous process. Power looms were machines used to weave cloth.
What's the current situation?
Concerned about its fate, the Council took the courageous decision to buy the vast site (385,000 square feet) for £1.5m from the Homes and Communities Agency, after plans to convert it to a school fell through. Brierfield Mill is now owned by PEARL (Brierfield Mill) Ltd, a joint venture set up between Barnfield Construction and Pendle Borough Council.
PEARL plans to bring the site back into use as part of multi-million pound mixed-use development, implemented over several phases. Current ideas include incorporating a police building, a hotel, marina and retirement village within the former mill complex.
NOTE: This is my first ever report, not even sure if it's in the correct forum, but I hope you enjoyed reading through and checking the few photos I've put on! I went to this place with a buddy called Kallim. The mill is located towards the bottom of the town, conveniently opposite the Brierfield Train Station
This was inconveniently placed in a dark corner (just above some stairs) by a security guard, pissed my pants!
I'd recommend buying second hand SLR from a reputable seller on eBay if your camera is giving you grief - there's loads of threads on here if you need some advice.
Thanks for posting
