Beehive Spinning Company, Bolton, Lancashire, England - January 2019

Derelict Places

Help Support Derelict Places:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Landie_Man

Veteran Member
Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2009
Messages
1,014
Reaction score
2,716
Location
Buckinghamshire
Day two of @Mookster and my first Northern Explore of the year; and in true Mookster style; we get up from our cosy beds and leave the sleepy world of The Premier Inn before breakfast is even a thing in these hotels; a point that hurts me to the core as the Designated Driver, but clearly pays off once the wall of fatigue is overcome.

We leave the hotel and take a drive to Bee Hive; this weekend has been a little hit and miss so far; so we have high hopes of this as it had been the Tour Bus stop off of the month; and after parking up and spending much time trying to get inside having been spotted by the sleepy street waking up numerous times; we set about a great explore.

This site is very stripped out inside; but the lighting is just divine; the paintwork, features and the things that are left behind are just lovely.

We both REALLY enjoyed this one; despite the bareness, it had a really nice feeling about it.

-

The first of the two mills on this site, was built in 1895, with the second larger mill following soon after, in 1902.

The complex was constructed in a rather lovely Italianate style, with staircases disguised as campaniles along with terraced roofing and balustrades and including a very picturesque lodge/office building at the front gate.

The mill span cotton up until 1967 when that venture closed. Ever since then; Bee Hive has had various other industrial uses, seemingly most recently it was occupied by a bed/furniture warehouse until they vacated some time ago.

The place eventually closed down entirely in 2016 and plans to demolish this beautiful building, despite its protected status have been heavily criticized by the locals; and rightly so. Would be a tragedy.

#1
[
40308506733_bf8dd04d6c_b.jpg


#2
32335023227_510beee7ec_b.jpg


#3
46359562625_520a9f6c0d_b.jpg


#4
33398002178_e732c06d1f_b.jpg


#5
40308990923_82a1a4a086_b.jpg


#6
46550265654_94c19fd7a1_b.jpg


#7
46359613435_7c289e0f09_b.jpg


#8
32331738267_cfa816c891_b.jpg


#9
33398227208_bfa67392ec_b.jpg


#10
46359584875_83534b8597_b.jpg


#11
46359505495_481479ef90_b.jpg


#12
47273958931_f949ca0dce_b.jpg


#13
47273668421_da62652e27_b.jpg


#14
47224845112_f79e750ee8_b.jpg


#15
32331504557_0d2d866e9d_b.jpg


#16
32331523447_97aae4cc90_b.jpg


#17
47221469482_bb6a4f3500_b.jpg


#18
40308776783_026fb3050e_b.jpg


#19
40308703983_7fc77c7738_b.jpg


#20
46359002365_b1c588a613_b.jpg


#21
46550044344_d92ba0fc85_b.jpg


#22
40308536573_bff4c9fe58_b.jpg


#23
47221124422_b8841230ef_b.jpg


#24
47221354362_2c07d4cf3c_b.jpg


As always Guys, thank you for taking the time to look, More At:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/landie_man/albums/72157703821237512
 
Nice one, you saw a few bits I didn't know get chance to because of Mr secca ��
 
The less said about my entrance the better, that pained me the whole week after that did.
 
It's quite some building that. Far more to it than meets the eye - particularly loving what's left of pipes, machinery and the pokey little spaces. Speaking of which - the 'chapel' like room? Was that a medical area?? Just that I can't imagine the mill owners allowing time for prayer!

Demolish it? Noo! It's an awesome and useful space. Surely the structure as a whole is good despite the age?

Edit: Just to add - the sprinkler pump. Is that an internal combustion engine??
 
Sausage;359138 Speaking of which - the 'chapel' like room? Was that a medical area?? Just that I can't imagine the mill owners allowing time for prayer! Edit: Just to add - the sprinkler pump. Is that an internal combustion engine??[/QUOTE said:
When this place was built, medical facilities were none existent. However; Religious matters were very important to some owners and facilities were provided. This was especially so in the case of a workforce comprised of ethnic minority groups.

Most of the large sprinkler systems in these very fire prone mills were powered by IC engines, even when the initial feed/flow was by rooftop gravity tanks. The electricity supply was the first thing to go during a large fire - if documents from my wife's family mill are anything to go by, the Insurance Companies demanded an 'independent' feed source for these fire prevention systems. Fire prevention in wooden mills was one thing, but cotton mills presented a much greater risk to destruction by fire, due to the flammability of the raw product and the spun yarn and cloth.
 
Most of the large sprinkler systems in these very fire prone mills were powered by IC engines, even when the initial feed/flow was by rooftop gravity tanks. The electricity supply was the first thing to go during a large fire - if documents from my wife's family mill are anything to go by, the Insurance Companies demanded an 'independent' feed source for these fire prevention systems. Fire prevention in wooden mills was one thing, but cotton mills presented a much greater risk to destruction by fire, due to the flammability of the raw product and the spun yarn and cloth.

The current sprinkler system was added after the building stopped spinning cotton. It's housed in the former engine room which had everything ripped out and a huge water tank installed inside connected to the pump powered by two diesel engines.
 
^^ That's fascinating information about the need for religious space - I honestly didn't expect that. I learnt something today!

The engine driven pumps too - makes perfect sense.
One warehouse I worked at made a massive upgrade to the sprinkler systems in the building. Originally the site was garment manufacturing but that stopped and the company used the space for warehousing instead. A massive water storage tank was built and lots of new piping and pumps added - the pumps were definitely electric motor driven though and the thought of power being cut did cross my mind!
 
The current sprinkler system was added after the building stopped spinning cotton. It's housed in the former engine room which had everything ripped out and a huge water tank installed inside connected to the pump powered by two diesel engines.

Thanks - any idea what the mill was being used for when system was installed?
 
Thanks - any idea what the mill was being used for when system was installed?

I believe it had a few light industrial and storage uses, its last use was as a storage and shipping warehouse for a bed and furniture company.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top