Building Name

(Centenary) Spinning Mill, New Hall Lane, Preston

Date
1893
Street
New Hall Lane
District/Town
Preston
County/Country
Lancashire, England
Client
Horrockses Crewdon & Co Limited Preston
Work
New Build

PROPOSED NEW SPINNING MILL AT PRESTON - Messrs Horrockses, Crewdson & Company, cotton spinners and manufacturers, contemplate the erection of a new mill on land adjoining their premises in New Hall-lane for the spinning of low counts, and it is stated that from 80,000 to 100,000 spindles will be run. Over 20 years has elapsed since the erection in Preston of works of this character and extent. [Manchester Courier 3 April 1893 Page 8 Column 2]

An excellent example of later generation cotton spinning mills, which tended to have much larger windows, made possible by the use of steel in their building frames. Centenary Mill was one of the first to have steel beams and concrete floors. Built by the Horrocks family, famous for high quality cotton products, the mill's front elevation faces south, giving it maximum natural daylight on the four factory floors. The engine that drove the machinery was located in an engine house north of the main building and the square brick chimney is at the north-west corner. The mill offices were located in the small adjacent building to the south-west. This building has decorative stone quoins in its window arches and has the date 1895 inscribed on it. The main building comprises four floors and a basement. Its facades are made of red brick and its large windows have stone lintels. Not only does the use of steel allow the windows to be larger by reducing the need for solid brickwork to support the building, but the bricks are laid at right angles to the facade between the windows, making a narrow profile for the piers. The building has been converted into apartments and new modern windows were fitted in 2005. The nearby smaller warehouse to the west has been converted into an hotel, also in 2005.

Reference    Manchester Guardian 6 May 1894 Page 3 (Contracts)
Reference    Builder 13 May 1893 Page 376 (Contracts)
Reference    Manchester Courier 3 April 1893 Page 8 Column 2
Reference    "The Industrial Archaeology of Lancashire" by Owen Ashmore. David & Charles