Report - Washpit Mill, Holmfirth, Feb 2018

tarkovsky · Feb 26, 2018

The visit

I actually visited here primarily for a look at the culvert covering the river underneath the site (spotted by @Esoteric Eric - I'll do a separate report elsewhere for that - it's nice) but stayed for the mill, and pleased I did. Although the machinery pictured in other reports has now been sold off and gone elsewhere, there are a few nice bits that remain across the site. On our visits, renovations were ongoing in and around a couple of the buildings, but we kept our heads down and were left undisturbed for a nice wander round.

History

APPROX DATE OF SITE AND BUILDINGS: Mid 19C – 20C (site earlier)

DESCRIPTION/HISTORY: Situated just above Green Lane Mill, this small industrial complex is set amongst green fields and farmland. The site dates from c1810 but was rebuilt around 1840. Dating from this period is a four storey (plus attic) stone building along Georgian lines with an adjoining narrow three storey part at the top end of the site. Various other buildings have been added to the site, including a large double gabled mill building (mid-late 19C) and relatively modern weaving sheds. The base of a demolished stone chimney can be seen. However the old mill engine remains in situ. Large dam in good condition.

(via: http://old.pennineheritage.org.uk/document/24290)

Westwood Yarns, the last company to produce textiles at the mill, went into administration in 2016 when a buyer could not be found.

Textile manufacturing at Washpit Mills dates back more than 100 years. Westwood Yarns, which would spin specialist carpet yarns, primarily for its largest customer, Victoria Carpets, was bought out in October. It ran into difficulties in the weeks leading up to Christmas, with director Richard Collinge describing calling in the administrators as “devastating”.

(via: https://www.examiner.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/historic-westwood-yarns-washpit-mills-10845964)

Unfortunately, the rooms that once held the epic machines are now stripped to make way for the new businesses. There's a few pics inside these here, but they're not pretty: https://www.examiner.co.uk/news/take-look-around-washpit-mills-13563710

In May Kirklees planning committee members at Huddersfield Town Hall were told the decision as to whether a 23-bed hotel in the Grade II listed mill, 48 houses, 16 apartments and a restaurant and offices could go ahead had been taken out of their hands and would now be decided by a Government inspector.
While planning permission has not yet been granted for the hotel, restaurant, houses, apartments and offices, planning permission has been granted to owners of the Carding Shed to renovate their section of the building.

Building 1: Three floors of old scales and bits and pieces of mill leftovers...