1. The History
Westwood Mill is a Grade II-listed mill four miles south-west of Huddersfield in the town of Linthwaite. It is the earliest-surviving woollen mill in the Colne Valley, with the earliest part of the complex being a ‘scribbling mill’ (preparation of raw fleece), built by John Shaw, adjacent to the (now filled-in) mill pond. It was built in 1798 around the same time the Huddersfield Narrow Canal was being built. A carding and fulling Mill, office, warehouse, workshops, boiler and engine house soon followed. The mill produced textiles and was under the leasehold of clothier John Shaw in 1824. Originally powered by water from the nearby mill pond, the waterwheel was replaced in 1920 by an 85-horsepower water turbine manufactured by William Gunther and Sons (Oldham).
Hard to believe that it looked like this in the not too distant past:
Linthwaite archive by HughieDW, on Flickr
The present structure probably dates from circa 1820 when John, Jonathan and Eli Shaw (of Golcar) took over the business and made a number of alterations to the mill. Now privately owned by Michael Wilson Restorations, permission was given in October 2005 for it to be redeveloped along similar lines as the nearby Titanic Mills, and the mill’s conversion into 108 homes. However, this never happened, and it now lies derelict and ruined.
2. The Explore
First stop on a list of places in the Holmfirth area. The weather deteriorated, the light was poor, and it was raining. Not the most ideal conditions for looking round a pretty derpish mill. The place is pretty far gone. It was easy enough to get into, but the overgrown tumbled-down nature of the place made it hard to get decent pictures. Don’t know if I really did this place justice. Perhaps worth a revisit on a sunny day if I’m in the area.
3. The Pictures
Few externals to kick off with:
Linthwaite Mill 01 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img1119 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Linthwaite Mill 02 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img1125 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img1115 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img1121 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img1114 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Inside the bit with the roof still in place is a bit derpy:
img1116 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Rusty remains of an old boiler:
Linthwaite Mill 03 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Boiler and beams:
img1129 by HughieDW, on Flickr
And more beams:
img1128 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img1126 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Linthwaite Mill 07 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Linthwaite Mill 06 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Linthwaite Mill 08 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Linthwaite Mill 04 by HughieDW, on Flickr
And finally, the fully restored Titanic Mill in the background:
Linthwaite Mill 05 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Westwood Mill is a Grade II-listed mill four miles south-west of Huddersfield in the town of Linthwaite. It is the earliest-surviving woollen mill in the Colne Valley, with the earliest part of the complex being a ‘scribbling mill’ (preparation of raw fleece), built by John Shaw, adjacent to the (now filled-in) mill pond. It was built in 1798 around the same time the Huddersfield Narrow Canal was being built. A carding and fulling Mill, office, warehouse, workshops, boiler and engine house soon followed. The mill produced textiles and was under the leasehold of clothier John Shaw in 1824. Originally powered by water from the nearby mill pond, the waterwheel was replaced in 1920 by an 85-horsepower water turbine manufactured by William Gunther and Sons (Oldham).
Hard to believe that it looked like this in the not too distant past:
The present structure probably dates from circa 1820 when John, Jonathan and Eli Shaw (of Golcar) took over the business and made a number of alterations to the mill. Now privately owned by Michael Wilson Restorations, permission was given in October 2005 for it to be redeveloped along similar lines as the nearby Titanic Mills, and the mill’s conversion into 108 homes. However, this never happened, and it now lies derelict and ruined.
2. The Explore
First stop on a list of places in the Holmfirth area. The weather deteriorated, the light was poor, and it was raining. Not the most ideal conditions for looking round a pretty derpish mill. The place is pretty far gone. It was easy enough to get into, but the overgrown tumbled-down nature of the place made it hard to get decent pictures. Don’t know if I really did this place justice. Perhaps worth a revisit on a sunny day if I’m in the area.
3. The Pictures
Few externals to kick off with:
Inside the bit with the roof still in place is a bit derpy:
Rusty remains of an old boiler:
Boiler and beams:
And more beams:
And finally, the fully restored Titanic Mill in the background:
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