COWLING MILL - CHORLEY - AUGUST 2021

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Joined
Aug 6, 2021
Messages
26
Reaction score
135
Location
Lancashire & London
The History
The Cowling Mill Spinning Co Ltd., was registered in May 1905, building work began with the foundations being laid in September 1905.

Work in constructing the mill continued night & day as a flag was hoisted to the top of the chimney at the beginning of May 1906. In August 1906 the mills machinery was entrusted to Messrs, Dobson & Barlow of bolton for 94,000 mule spindles. It was October 1906 when the steam engines at the mill were given their first run. At the engine christening ceremony in June 1907, the engines were named "Goliath" & "Sampson." one name for the Low Pressure Cylinder, the other name for the High Pressure Cylinder.

During World War Two the Cowling Mill was closed under the concentration war effort scheme, it re-opened by the Cotton Controller in April 1945. Eventually with the decline in the Lancashire cotton industry with cheap imports it was announced in August 1959 that Combined English Mills Ltd, would close the Cowling Spinning Company branch. It got put into multiple usage for many years thereafter including a Pub, Auctions, Snooker Hall, Kickboxing clubs to name a few but began the inevitable long slow decline to the state it is in today.

In 2019 the site was available to purchase for 2.5 million & the owners offered to cover all costs of clearing the site for future usage as terms of the sale - although I cannot confirm this 100% I believe from research the mill could not be saved due to structural issues that it now possesses.


The Explore
Learning demolition had started on this site I took the opportunity over a weekend to take one final look before it was too late - I didn't expect to encounter work men on a Sunday but a game of hide & seek made it even more fun. Once inside I was left undisturbed as the only two workmen onsite were near the front shifting dirt - This building has some of the worst cases of mould taking over the lower levels that I ever seen, I won't mention the smell. The Mill itself is still very beautiful inside & so much to see! there is quite a large amount of fire damage & damp throughout but is still very well built & pretty sturdy!... it's a shame they didn't try to save this one.


The Photography...

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Thankyou for reading & enjoy the Decay!
:)
 
Nice report bit a little overcooked with the HDR for my liking
The History
The Cowling Mill Spinning Co Ltd., was registered in May 1905, building work began with the foundations being laid in September 1905.

Work in constructing the mill continued night & day as a flag was hoisted to the top of the chimney at the beginning of May 1906. In August 1906 the mills machinery was entrusted to Messrs, Dobson & Barlow of bolton for 94,000 mule spindles. It was October 1906 when the steam engines at the mill were given their first run. At the engine christening ceremony in June 1907, the engines were named "Goliath" & "Sampson." one name for the Low Pressure Cylinder, the other name for the High Pressure Cylinder.

During World War Two the Cowling Mill was closed under the concentration war effort scheme, it re-opened by the Cotton Controller in April 1945. Eventually with the decline in the Lancashire cotton industry with cheap imports it was announced in August 1959 that Combined English Mills Ltd, would close the Cowling Spinning Company branch. It got put into multiple usage for many years thereafter including a Pub, Auctions, Snooker Hall, Kickboxing clubs to name a few but began the inevitable long slow decline to the state it is in today.

In 2019 the site was available to purchase for 2.5 million & the owners offered to cover all costs of clearing the site for future usage as terms of the sale - although I cannot confirm this 100% I believe from research the mill could not be saved due to structural issues that it now possesses.


The Explore
Learning demolition had started on this site I took the opportunity over a weekend to take one final look before it was too late - I didn't expect to encounter work men on a Sunday but a game of hide & seek made it even more fun. Once inside I was left undisturbed as the only two workmen onsite were near the front shifting dirt - This building has some of the worst cases of mould taking over the lower levels that I ever seen, I won't mention the smell. The Mill itself is still very beautiful inside & so much to see! there is quite a large amount of fire damage & damp throughout but is still very well built & pretty sturdy!... it's a shame they didn't try to save this one.


The Photography...
Great pics and story. I have a 10" silver rose bowl with the following inscription:
"Presented to Jesse Kirkman Esq JP, Chairman of the Cowling Spinning Co Ltd. on the occasion of his starting the engines. 20th June 1907." Jesse Kirkman was my great-grandfather.
 
Last edited:
The engine christening ceremony in June 1907 (as mentioned in the history) was carried out by the then Chairman of Cowling, Jesse Kirkman. To mark the occasion Jesse was presented with a silver rose bowl bearing the inscription that I quoted. Sorry if not clear.
 
The engine christening ceremony in June 1907 (as mentioned in the history) was carried out by the then Chairman of Cowling, Jesse Kirkman. To mark the occasion Jesse was presented with a silver rose bowl bearing the inscription that I quoted. Sorry if not clear.
No that bit was not in the history only the engines were christened Goliath & Samson. Makes me smile to think Jesse was presented with a silver rose bowl, bet that went in the cupboard
 
The history says: "At the engine christening ceremony in June 1907...". That date (month) ties in with the detail I was adding re the bowl and the specific date in June. Yes, it went in the cupboard! To Jesse's son Bertram, to his daughter Jean (my mother) and now me. I'm looking for a local museum that might like to display it.
 
The History
The Cowling Mill Spinning Co Ltd., was registered in May 1905, building work began with the foundations being laid in September 1905.

Work in constructing the mill continued night & day as a flag was hoisted to the top of the chimney at the beginning of May 1906. In August 1906 the mills machinery was entrusted to Messrs, Dobson & Barlow of bolton for 94,000 mule spindles. It was October 1906 when the steam engines at the mill were given their first run. At the engine christening ceremony in June 1907, the engines were named "Goliath" & "Sampson." one name for the Low Pressure Cylinder, the other name for the High Pressure Cylinder.

During World War Two the Cowling Mill was closed under the concentration war effort scheme, it re-opened by the Cotton Controller in April 1945. Eventually with the decline in the Lancashire cotton industry with cheap imports it was announced in August 1959 that Combined English Mills Ltd, would close the Cowling Spinning Company branch. It got put into multiple usage for many years thereafter including a Pub, Auctions, Snooker Hall, Kickboxing clubs to name a few but began the inevitable long slow decline to the state it is in today.

In 2019 the site was available to purchase for 2.5 million & the owners offered to cover all costs of clearing the site for future usage as terms of the sale - although I cannot confirm this 100% I believe from research the mill could not be saved due to structural issues that it now possesses.


The Explore
Learning demolition had started on this site I took the opportunity over a weekend to take one final look before it was too late - I didn't expect to encounter work men on a Sunday but a game of hide & seek made it even more fun. Once inside I was left undisturbed as the only two workmen onsite were near the front shifting dirt - This building has some of the worst cases of mould taking over the lower levels that I ever seen, I won't mention the smell. The Mill itself is still very beautiful inside & so much to see! there is quite a large amount of fire damage & damp throughout but is still very well built & pretty sturdy!... it's a shame they didn't try to save this one.


The Photography...
Thank you for sharing 👍
 
The history says: "At the engine christening ceremony in June 1907...". That date (month) ties in with the detail I was adding re the bowl and the specific date in June. Yes, it went in the cupboard! To Jesse's son Bertram, to his daughter Jean (my mother) and now me. I'm looking for a local museum that might like to display it.
Bolton steam museum would be a good place for the bowl as it only for mill engines
 
Cowling Mill was knocked down a few weeks ago. Bulldozers were pulling down the first wall just as we pulled up to explore. That was a first for us.
 
Perhaps another industrial structure that could have been converted into flats at less environmental cost than demolishing and building anew. And a bit of history would have been saved.
 

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