Gilnow New Mills, Bolton

One of the earliest cotton spinning mills to be designed by George Woodhouse, the main mill building stood five storeys high and was 160 feet long by 120 feet wide. On the ground floor the card-room contained 224 machines, while the spinning rooms on the four upper floors held a total of 70,000 spindles. On the east side was a preparation shed, 180 feet square, and one storey high in which were 58 "jack" frames. Fronting the mill and shed was a two storey range of buildings, containing scrutching and mixing rooms, engine-house, warehouses, reel-rooms offices, cotton-rooms and mechanics' shop. From the centre of this range rose an impressive tower used as a hoist and means of egress from the whole mill. The cost of the works was upwards of £80,000 and at the time of their construction the mills were considered perhaps the most advanced in Lancashire. The main mill buildings were destroyed in a disastrous fire in April 1868, an event reported at length in The Times

GREAT FIRE AT BOLTON - One of the most destructive fires that have ever occurred in Bolton broke out shortly after 3 o'clock on Thursday afternoon at the Gilnow New Mills, belonging to Messrs P R Arrowsmith and Company. The mills were erected in 1854 from designs by Mr George Woodhouse, architect, of Bolton and at the time were considered to be unequalled in Lancashire, both in their architectural features and in the perfectness of their arrangements. The spinning departments, with the card-room were five stories high, and 160 feet long by 120 feet wide. The card-room which was upon the ground floor contained 224 machines, while the spinning rooms, four in number, which were over the card-room, held 70,000 spindles. Adjoining the mill on the east side was the preparation shed, 180 feet square, and one story high in which were 58 "jack" frames. Fronting the mill and shed was a splendid range of buildings, two stories high, comprising scrutching and mixing rooms, engine-house, warehouses, reel-rooms, offices, cotton-rooms and mechanics' shop. From the centre of this range rose a magnificent tower used as a hoist and means of egress from the whole mill. The cost of the works was upwards of £80,000.[The Times 6 April 1868 Page 10]

Reference           The Times 6 April 1868 Page 10 Column F