| Summary : Brierfield Mills stands on the east bank of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. It was established before 1844 as a steam-powered cotton mill but the buildings shown on the 1844 map, evidently a spinning mill and a weaving shed, were demolished when the site was rebuilt and substantially extended between 1868 and 1907. These new buildings survive and comprise a multi-storey spinning mill dated 1868 parallel to but set slightly back from the canal, an attached two-storey building, three weaving sheds, two freestanding east of the spinning mill and terraced into the valley side, and both of pre-1891 date, and one south of the spinning mill dated 1907, and offices. The buildings are all of squared stone rubble and steam powered. The 1968 spinning mill is four storeys high, 39 bays long, with a central engine and boiler house; it is of fireproof construction. The two weaving sheds to its east are single storeyed, the sheds with three-storeyed warehouse and yarn preparation blocks at their downhill ends. The south-east shed incorporates a stair tower surmounted by a later clock tower and is built up to a two storey range with a warehouse block formerly linked to the railway and a later Italianate office block. The south-east shed of 1907 is single-storeyed with its own corner engine house. The buildings survive in good condition although one of the weaving sheds is now just a facade with a modern interior. Listed. |
More information : Brierfield Mills was built on the east bank of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal in 1838, and was Brierfield's first steam-powered cotton mill. It was erected on behalf of Henry Tunstill of Wheatley Lane. The first mill occupied the site of a later mill's northern end, and was operated by Henry Tunstill and Sons. Proposals were made to form a room and power company with W Landless of Marsden Colliery, J Bolton of Barrowford and J Edmondson of Bradley Corn Mill, but it is not clear whether this concept was to be applied to Brierfield Mill or a second. The concept was meant to aid the underpaid workers in the area and would have been a prototype room and power company which evolved later, in 1858 in Nelson. Henry Tunstill's Sons operated and managed a colliery at the bottom of Bridge Street in which they ran 106 looms and some spinning equipment. They formed Tunstill Brothers after Henry's death in 1854 and decided to build a large new spinning mill in the proximity of the old one. The new Brierfield mill consisted of the 'middle' mill, a six-storey building and two further, adjoining four-storey mills erected 1868 and 1873. The southern mill measured 31yds by 68yds, and housed 42,000 twist spindles for the production of warp. The old mill was demolished prior to the construction of the northern wing which measured 31yds. times 54 ½ yds. and housed 50,000 weft spindles. The 'south shed' was added to the mill in 1876 and comprised a weaving shed, warehouse, offices and workshop. In 1879 a total of 90000 spindles and 2000 looms were in operation (Barrett 1879, 147). By the time of Robert Tunstill's death in 1890 the Brothers had been operating a total of 116000 spindles and 2213 looms, a small proportion being run at Newton Mill, Burnley, and another at Throstle Nest Mill, Nelson. Tunstill had been highly popular amongst his workers due to his supporting them during the cotton famine. He also held the titles of Chairman of Burnley Board of Guardians and was a county magistrate. William Tunstill and his sons continued the business, but William died in 1903 and his son Robert in 1902, leaving the business in the ownership of Henry (Harry) Tunstill who was involved in many other companies, such as the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company. The company Brierfield Mills Ltd was established in 1904 with Harry Tunstill as first director, and W H Hartley of Fence and J W Fyson also on the board. Mr F Youatt of Manchester became primary director in 1915 in stead of Hartley and in 1918 Tunstill was released by CJ Lamb of Manchester. A single-storey weaving shed with the capacity of 608 looms was erected in 1906 to the south-west of the 1868 building. The mill was listed in 1924 and the company owned a total of 86,340 mule spindles, 5964 ring spindles and 2786 looms in 1925. It is also listed in a directory for 1933 and accredited with 79,284 mule spindles, 13,100 ring spindles, and 2800 looms for 1948. The company wove out soon after 1956, and for that year 46,920 mule spindles, 25,376 ring spindles, and 2060 looms are recorded. Smith and Nephew Textiles Ltd started producing surgical bandages in 1957, and modernised the plant in the 1960. They were listed as spinners, weavers, dyers, bleachers and surgical dressing manufacturers in 1963. The company operated as Smith and Nephew plc, merged with the German Beiersdorf AG soon after and is still trading as BSN Medical Ltd in the mill.
Dated 1868. Stone. Part slate, part corrugated roof. 2, 3 and 4 storeys on sloping site. Northern block is in two parts. Section to left is in rock-faced stone, 2 storeys. 10 bays. Tall, large-pane windows on ground floor. Semi-circular headed windows above with continuous string. Large, semi-circular arch-headed doorway with verniculated voussoirs. Modern door with fanlight. Twin, semi-circular headed windows above. Plain parapet, bold dentillation and diminutive pediment. Section to right is ashlar. 2 storeys. 6 bays. Windows with semi-circular heads forming continuous arcase. Alternate voussoirs stressed. First floor windows similar with segmental heads, keystones stressed. Semi-circular headed windows above door. Dentilled parapet with broken pediment. Clock tower at rear in 4 stages. Circular base with square tower. Small window with segmental head. Clock face set in semi- circular arched head, extended as string. Dentillated cornice, pyramidal roof. Very prominent on valley side. electrical power supplied from the Hollinbank Room and Power Co. Established 1892, closed 1960s. cotton factory is marked on the Ordnance Survey first edition map by the Leeds-Liverpool canal on the site now occupied by mills. Buildings and chimney survive in good condition (RCHME 1999). Designated Grade II Listed Building in January 1988. Condition: Occupied. (1)
Ceased trading and under development. (2)
Listed. For the designation record of this site please see The National Heritage List for England. (3-4) |