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This former mill is a legendary explore in the UK and has been for many years. It, coupled with it's dye house located on a second plot of land around a mile away, make up what was the largest mill complex in the south-western UK covering an area of around 14.5 acres. It closed in the late 1990s, with the dye house subject of a failed restoration bid on a mid 2000s BBC TV show, and the main bulk of the mill complex being largely stripped in preparation for a residential conversion which came to a crashing halt in 2008 after a certain financial snafu tanked everything.
Since then, the dye house building sat in a rapidly decaying state until a couple of years ago when the local council ordered works to be undertaken to safeguard the building - this involved asbestos removal and a general tidy up inside, and as of now it is well looked after with cameras and alarms (allegedly). The main mill complex has had sporadic bouts of work done on parts of it since but nothing ever really changes. Security used to be a right pain here, they were ever-present with dogs and cameras all over the place, but one day in mid-2015 they simply buggered off never to return. Nowadays the site gets the occasional check to make sure the fences are intact but that's it, although it did get a little hotter a couple of years back after a teenage girl fell through four floors of the mill and was incredibly lucky to survive.
I have been to the dye house area half a dozen or so times, and this was my third visit to the main mill, as I had heard through a friend that some previously unseen bits were now explorable. After closure, some of the buildings had found new usage as various businesses including an antique centre, a curtain and blinds retailer and a mechanics garage, but all of these have now left. It felt quite weird being somewhere that has been on the exploring scene for as long as I've been exploring but seeing parts that had never been seen before.
The sprawling mass of buildings is an amazing sight in itself, even if they are largely stripped, but luckily what is still left in situ is very good. The only mill machinery left is found on the fourth floor of the biggest building, two 'autoconers' and some other older machinery, which was never removed. The mill is also home to what is considered to be the single best mill engine house left anywhere in the country, as it contains a complete set of steam, electric and diesel power generating equipment. Unfortunately a couple of years ago a portion of the wooden ceiling below the roof came crashing down onto the steam engine, it was bowing badly on my visit only a few months prior.
As well as exploring a wonderful place this was also a great excuse to simply hang out with a bunch of friends and have a laugh together, I really need more of those sort of times this year.
The first lot of photos are from the previously 'unseen' areas.
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The only piece of equipment left was this curious contraption which I assume was some sort of hoist, it being fixed into the floor beside a set of trapdoors.
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And to finish up, some shots from the big building and engine/boiler house.
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Thanks for looking 
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Awesome photos. I love seeing old machinery, and the layout of the place is pretty cool too.
Why be ordinary? Being ordinary is boring. | |
Heck yeah.
Great set. Love places like this.
RIP Blackhawk | |
The vines on that boiler in 22 are something else.
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I honestly need to know where the find places like these
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Great set of pictures, nice thread.
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The architecture of this place is insane! Love the photos friend!!! <*3
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-Neon Krystals | |
This is really amazing. Loved seeing that engine house
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Thanks all, tbh if it wasn't a fair distance away from me I'd be spending a lot more time here given the chance - apparently funds to renovate/convert it have been allocated and need to be used by 2026, so it might have a second lease of life fairly soon.
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The boiler house is the best section sometimes in mills. You can find real old machinery sometimes.
Blog: https://www.digitalinkd.net/ |
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