Asquith Bottom Mill, Sowerby Bridge April 2017

I previously pictured some of Asquith Bottom Mill in 2013 and posted these pictures earlier, the pictures below were taken in April 2017 with a Nikon d3300.

Asquith Bottom Mills is a mixed-use industrial estate at Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire, built up around a former (depending on the era) carpet, wire, and woollen mill. The mill was originally built by William Edlestons, and I still remember the red neon sign with their name across the roof during the 1980s (sadly now gone). I believe they closed during the late 1980's and early 1990's.

The pictures below can also be seen un-watermarked on Clickasnap; simply by clicking on any image, a link should open in another window.

The front of the mill used to feature a bowling green where the cars were parked across the River Ryburn. The top of the building used to feature a WM Edlestons sign lit up in red.

The doorways used to provide access so goods could be moved up and down, but the hoist support is still sticking out of the building.

This picture was taken from the Norland hillside towards the back of the building. I don't imagine other than for safety checks that fire escape has been used in many years.

 

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River Calder at Copley - March 2015

 River Calder at Copley is a set of 6 pictures taken in March 2015 on an approx 1 mile stretch of the river from Copley Valley to the Village. The area around the river Calder at Copley Valley has seen major development since these pictures were taken, with new housing on the north bank of the river, new industrial units on the south side of the river, and a new bridge and roads linking the 2.

The majority of the site used to be covered by Sterne Mills, and the former Sowerby Bridge Sewage Works which had been opened in 1896. A mill had been on the site of Sterne Mills since at least the 18th century, but by the turn of the Millennium the site was unoccupied after the Standard Wire Company had moved away. The opposite banks of the river were originally a fording point until a wooden bridge was constructed, this was replaced by a single track concrete structure in 1914, and again by the current crossing a few years ago. The only remains of Sterne Mills today are the weir that powered the mill, and a sluice gate near the weir.

The pictures below were taken on the 8th March 2015 with a Polaroid is2132 camera, they can also be seen on Clickasnap, un-watermarked.

The former sluice gate is all that remains of the mills that once occupied the site.

The weir and modern bridge crossing, the 1914 bridge abutment can just be seen before the metal banking, behind the watermarked col.

The river passing Copley Village, the stone wall to the pictures left is all the remains of Edward Akroyd's Copley Mill which was demolished in 1974, the site is now covered by housing.

This picture was taken from the side of Copley Playing fields looking towards the bridge and wier.

Taken from the south bank, this path used to pass Sowerby Bridge Sewage Works, the site is now occupied by industrial units. I was told once that the river used to be navigable past this point until the canal came and weirs were built to power the mills.

The river again pictured here to the west of Sterne Mills Bridge, the north bank pictured across the river is now covered by housing on what was once considered a flood plain. Just about visible through the trees is the Halifax Bank's Copley Data Centre, opened in the mid 1980's the centre is earmarked for complete closure in 2025.

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Lumbuts Mill Artwork

 

Lumbutts Mill Water Tower. This Artwork created by is based on a picture I took. I gave the picture a sunset colour scheme as a nod to the areas links with the 1838 Mankinholes Riots to give the impression of a passion.

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Watermill at Ixworth

 The watermill at Ixworth is an original digital artwork created by me based on an early 20th century black and white postcard. It shows a typical English rural scene of of a water powered flour mill with horses awaiting loads outside and a mill pond before the bridge.

The mill is thought to ave been built in the early 18th century and still stands today although no longer used as a flour mill. The building is 3 storeys and timber framed.

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Lumbutts Mill Water Tower and Dams, New Years Eve 2016

 Lumbutts is a small community in the hills to the southeast of Todmorden, West Yorkshire, the area grew around the mill which was used as a corn mill until leased by Brothers Samuel and Robert Shaw with there business partners Abraham Crossley and Thomas Hughes who converted the mill for use in cotton spinning. In the early 19th century the water tower was built to house firstly 2 waterwheels and eventually a third which when completed gave the mill over 50 horsepower created by the waters 90ft fall through the 3 wheels. The tower had supply from 4 dams which were Mill D~am, Lee Dam, Heeley Dam and finally Gaddings Dam which sits 365 meters above see level on the moor above Lumbutts.

The area was the scene of the Mankinholes riots in 1838 when the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834 led to a board of guardians making their first demand for £50 from the townsfolk which was refused. On November 14th, 16th and 21st 1838 riots broke out, and on November 24th a company of Dragoon Soldiers were despatched from Manchester to arrest all the men from Lumbutts Mill that had taken part in the riots.

The mill continued to provide employment until 1926, when the final 62 employees were either transferred or retired and Lumbutts Mill closed. The mill was demolished and only the Grade II listed water tower still remains. The site of the mill is now occupied by an activity centre.

Heeley Dam

Lee Dam

The Grade II Listed water tower built to house the waterwheels that
powered the mill. The chimney features a spiral staircase inside. Listed status
was granted on the 22 February 1984.

This bridge crossed one of the water inlets in to the dams,
I can't remember which dame it was .

Mill Dam and in the distance Stoodley Pike and Monument, The 
monument was built in 1856 to commemorate the end
of the Crimean War.

Jeremy Hill and Lee Dam.

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Hollins Tunnel and Weir, Sowerby Bridge.

These are 2 short film clips I made recently and have uploaded to YouTube featuring clips to put together of the weir and tunnel at Sowerby Bridge known as Hollins.

Hollins Tunnel.

Hollins Tunnel or Hollins Mill Tunnel as it is also known is a canal tunnel that carries Hollins Mill Lane over it at Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire. Built over 200 years ago, the canal was opened in 1804 connecting the Calder & Hebble Navigation at Sowerby Bridge with the Bridgewater Canal at Manchester. The tunnel is the longest on the canal in Yorkshire and is quite an intimidating place in the dark. I filmed the clips at both ends and inside the tunnel on the 6th December 2018.

Hollins Mill Weir.

The weir at Hollins mill can be heard but barely seen from the canal tunnel, they are very close. The weir used to power the nearby mills that have long since been demolished and now stands as a monument to history. It was badly damaged during the devastating floods that hit the Calder Valley on Boxing Day 2015 with a large section now missing although this can't really be seen in the clips. I took these clips on the 6th December.

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Echoes of Industry: Rust, Cobbles, and the Mystery of Siddal's Brickworks

April 2017. A crisp spring day, and I found myself perched above the village of Siddal, near Halifax, West Yorkshire, exploring the remnants of what I was told was Savile's Brickworks. The place had a haunting beauty, a silent testament to industrial might and the passage of time.

Armed with my trusty Nikon D3300 SLR, I captured the stark, weathered beauty of the brickworks. The textures were incredible – the rough, aged brick, the rusted metal, the tenacious weeds pushing through cracks in the concrete. Each shot seemed to tell a story, whispering of the workers who once toiled there, the roar of machinery, and the fiery kilns that once dominated the landscape.

But there was a mystery to the place. Was it truly abandoned? I'd heard conflicting stories. Some said a recycling centre operated there, breathing new life into the old site. Others insisted it was completely deserted, a ghost of its former self. As an HGV driver myself, I couldn’t help but shudder at the thought of navigating a 44-ton lorry up (or down!) the steep, cobbled slope leading to the yard. That alone seemed a daunting task, regardless of whether the place was active or not.

The photos, taken on April 9th, 2017, reveal a landscape of industrial decay, yet there's a strange allure to it. The sheer scale of the site, the echoes of its past, and the uncertainty of its present all contributed to a captivating experience. If you're interested in grabbing a print of these photos, clicking on any of the images will take you to my Colin Green Photography store on Zazzle.

There's something deeply fascinating about industrial ruins. They offer a tangible connection to the past, a glimpse into the lives and work of those who came before us. Savile's Brickworks, with its mix of decay and resilience, is a perfect example.

Whether it's a bustling recycling centre or a silent monument, the site continues to hold a certain magic. The cobbles, the bricks, the rust – they all whisper tales of a bygone era, leaving us to wonder about the stories they could tell.

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Canal Wharf Saw Mills: A Story of Industry, Fire, and Redevelopment

Canal Wharf Saw Mills, built in 1851, occupied a prominent location in Hebden Royd, West Yorkshire, nestled between Mytholmroyd and Hebden Bridge. Its position alongside the A646 Burnley Road, the Rochdale Canal, and the River Calder proved both advantageous and detrimental. While the waterways facilitated transportation during its industrial heyday, they also subjected the mill to repeated flooding, ultimately contributing to its decline.

Originally a working sawmill, the site later became home to the renowned Walkley Clogs. Tragedy struck in 1990 when an arson attack caused significant fire damage. The mill was subsequently refurbished and transformed into a popular tourist attraction, featuring a clog-making visitor center and various craft shops. However, the influx of visitors created traffic congestion, and despite several attempts, planning applications for necessary road improvements were repeatedly rejected. This ultimately led to the closure of the tourist attraction in the late 1990s.

The mill then sat vacant, a target for various redevelopment proposals, primarily for apartments. Each application, however, was denied due to concerns about flooding, access, and inadequate parking. The final blow came in 2019 when another devastating fire ravaged the already dilapidated structure, leading to its demolition shortly thereafter.

For nearly two years, the cleared site remained empty. Recently, however, planning permission has been granted for the construction of residential housing, marking a new chapter in the history of this once-bustling industrial location.

These photographs, captured on November 24, 2013, with a Samsung Galaxy Tablet, document the mill in its abandoned state before the final fire and demolition. Clicking any image should open a link in another window to my Colin Green Photography store on Zazzle.

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 The following 3 pictures belong to a friend of mine who viewed the mill in 2015/16.

Asquith Bottom Mill, Sowerby Bridge November 2013

The sprawling Asquith Bottom Mill, a vibrant mixed-use industrial estate in Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire, has a rich and varied past woven into its very fabric. Built around the bones of a former industrial giant, the complex has housed everything from carpet manufacturing to wire drawing and woollen production, depending on which era you're talking about. Originally established by William Edleston, the mill held a prominent place in the town's landscape. I can still vividly recall the striking red neon Edleston sign emblazoned across the roof in the 1980s – a nostalgic beacon that, sadly, is no more. The mill's hum fell silent sometime in the late 80s or early 90s, marking the end of an era for this local landmark

 

The pictures below were taken in November 2013 using a Samsung Galaxy Tablet. Clicking any image should open a link in another window to my Colin Green Photography store on Zazzle.

Thanks for looking, and please take a moment to share and follow me on social media and check out my portfolio on Photo4Me via the link below.

All the pictures remain the copyright of Colin Green.