boxfrenzy
19-01-2009, 06:13 PM
I am a tosser. It's official. Many people may have already known this, and now I can clarify: it's true. I saw this and thought for a moment, oh, it's another mill. I did one of these last week. Then I realised that the majority of the Urbex folk from around the world would love to visit one of these places and here's me not being too excited.
Of course I was wrong, I loved it and was suitably scared and concerned my legs, which for the last 36 years have worked just fine may suddenly bend and spring me forward through a high up window. It would have served me right.
On the 21st of January, 1905, the worst nightmate of any mill owner came true, as fire ripped through Old Lane Mill, Halifax. It was the first mill fire of the year, but before the end, another three mills in a ten mile radius were badly damaged by fire.
Old Lane Mills
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3301/3209180923_79ac494042.jpg
The first mill on the site was recorded in 1816, but this one was built in 1825. Two years later, in 1827, owner Akroyd built the first Jacquard looms in Britain, and the mill was iron-framed and fitted with stone floors – the first in any British mill – to support the machinery.
I love these old stairways. There was some cool old plaster, just visable higher up. Like a tit, I forgot to photograph it.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3366/3209058425_f840d441fb.jpg
Today those stone floors are still there, stripped of machinery, but remants of old looms and chutes are still there.
Sunlight shines onto empty mill floors
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3365/3209058445_6db4a8295f.jpg
Stone steps lead from floor to floor.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3462/3209058473_b8d8271e92.jpg
At first I was concerned that it was going to be empty. Thankfully there was some good stuff to see. Here is a no stair fire escape.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3479/3209058477_8613ca076d.jpg
On the third floor, things got interesting. On the arched ceiling were the remains of looms.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3452/3210011164_7e29d0cdcd.jpg
Another floor, another part of a loom
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3408/3210011178_5d0262ceb3.jpg
Floor six
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3314/3210011208_41968e23e1.jpg
At the top of the stone stars is a circular window. The view is Dean Clough Mills, Halifax
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3455/3209180909_e3c3a6f21f.jpg
Beautiful top floor of the mill. Apparently the nightwatchman used to fire a blunderbuss each night to signal he was on duty. Thankfully, he is no longer there...
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3119/3210011258_bc45c377d6.jpg
Outside the mill are the remains of the engine house
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3500/3210011196_9ffd9173df.jpg
The Mill, veiwed from Old Lane
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3082/3209058461_fd777df97b.jpg
Between the engine house and the mill
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3495/3210011236_2a1414b69b.jpg
My favourite picture. This is the Lee Bank tunnel northern portal. It was 267 tards long. Sadly the southern portal is buried under the spoil from the widening of the Keighley road.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3472/3209058487_3f880fcb8d.jpg
Apologies for the cartoon like appearance of some these snaps. Top tip. To avoid a large number of very disappointing washed out and grainy pictures when you get home, always check your ISO isn't set to 1600 when shooting in bright sun.
Of course I was wrong, I loved it and was suitably scared and concerned my legs, which for the last 36 years have worked just fine may suddenly bend and spring me forward through a high up window. It would have served me right.
On the 21st of January, 1905, the worst nightmate of any mill owner came true, as fire ripped through Old Lane Mill, Halifax. It was the first mill fire of the year, but before the end, another three mills in a ten mile radius were badly damaged by fire.
Old Lane Mills
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3301/3209180923_79ac494042.jpg
The first mill on the site was recorded in 1816, but this one was built in 1825. Two years later, in 1827, owner Akroyd built the first Jacquard looms in Britain, and the mill was iron-framed and fitted with stone floors – the first in any British mill – to support the machinery.
I love these old stairways. There was some cool old plaster, just visable higher up. Like a tit, I forgot to photograph it.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3366/3209058425_f840d441fb.jpg
Today those stone floors are still there, stripped of machinery, but remants of old looms and chutes are still there.
Sunlight shines onto empty mill floors
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3365/3209058445_6db4a8295f.jpg
Stone steps lead from floor to floor.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3462/3209058473_b8d8271e92.jpg
At first I was concerned that it was going to be empty. Thankfully there was some good stuff to see. Here is a no stair fire escape.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3479/3209058477_8613ca076d.jpg
On the third floor, things got interesting. On the arched ceiling were the remains of looms.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3452/3210011164_7e29d0cdcd.jpg
Another floor, another part of a loom
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3408/3210011178_5d0262ceb3.jpg
Floor six
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3314/3210011208_41968e23e1.jpg
At the top of the stone stars is a circular window. The view is Dean Clough Mills, Halifax
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3455/3209180909_e3c3a6f21f.jpg
Beautiful top floor of the mill. Apparently the nightwatchman used to fire a blunderbuss each night to signal he was on duty. Thankfully, he is no longer there...
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3119/3210011258_bc45c377d6.jpg
Outside the mill are the remains of the engine house
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3500/3210011196_9ffd9173df.jpg
The Mill, veiwed from Old Lane
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3082/3209058461_fd777df97b.jpg
Between the engine house and the mill
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3495/3210011236_2a1414b69b.jpg
My favourite picture. This is the Lee Bank tunnel northern portal. It was 267 tards long. Sadly the southern portal is buried under the spoil from the widening of the Keighley road.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3472/3209058487_3f880fcb8d.jpg
Apologies for the cartoon like appearance of some these snaps. Top tip. To avoid a large number of very disappointing washed out and grainy pictures when you get home, always check your ISO isn't set to 1600 when shooting in bright sun.