Weavers' Triangle
Encyclopedia
The Weavers' Triangle is located on the western side of Burnley
town centre in Lancashire
. This ribbon development of predominantly 19th Century industrial buildings is clustered around the Leeds and Liverpool Canal
. It has been identified as a significant conservation area as the remaining cotton mill
s and associated buildings encapsulates the social and economic development of Burnley and its weaving industry.
A project to restore the area, which began in the 1980s, has only achieved very limited success despite considerable investment.
like Marsden
and Colne
was a centre of the wool industry and it switched over to cotton in the first half of the 1800s. Hargreaves hand operated Spinning Jenny
was introduced into Blackburn in 1767, the model patented had 16 sixteen spindles and it was treated with suspicion. It naturally was only suitable for weft
. Arkwright's power driven water frame, which produced twist (suitable for warp
) was more unpopular. In 1777, Arkwright started to build a mill at Birkacre on the edge of Chorley
. But by 1779, the momentum against power driven spinning machinery was such that rioters destroyed the mill. Spinners and investors were driven away from Blackburn and Burnley towards Manchester
, and it was many years before anyone ventured to build a spinning mill in this area.
In the early 1790s, construction of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal
resumed after a decade long suspension caused by the American war of independence. During this break, the increasing economic importance of coal
led to a change in the previously agreed, but long disputed, route. The route would move south away from Clitheroe
’s Agricultural lime
source to a more expensive route via the coalfield
of Burnley
. At Burnley, this route almost encircled what was then a small town, running through the fields a little way outside it. Although weaving existed in the area previously, this was predominantly wool based and for local markets. The opening of the canal coincided with the rise of both cotton
weaving and the use of steam power in textile mills, allowing greater freedom in their placement.
The 1840s proved pivotal to the development of the area. Firstly the canal company began allowing mills to take the water they needed for steam engines directly from the canal. In 1848 the East Lancashire Railway
opened to the barracks
near the western end of Trafalgar Street. And in 1849, the Manchester and Leeds Railway
opened a branch from Todmorden
to Burnley
(extended soon after). A goods shed
was sited at Thorneybank at the eastern end of Trafalgar Street, where the town’s cinema stands today. Of the many new Cotton Mill
s subsequently constructed along the canal, this meant that the greatest concentration formed in what was then part of the township
of Habergham Eaves
.
The second half of the 19th century saw Burnley
develop into the most important cotton-weaving town in the world. As Burnley expanded, the area later to be known as the weavers' triangle, officially became part of the town in 1894. By 1911, the towns textile industry was at the height of its prosperity, there were approximately 99,000 power loom
s in operation, and its population had grown from 4,000 (1801) to over 100,000.
The almost terminal decline of the English cotton industry in the decades that followed World War II
, brought great difficulties to the local economy. During successive attempts to regenerate the town, many of the mills where demolished, however most in the triangle area where protected and today stand as monuments to the past.
, boiler house and chimney. The line shafts from the engine would pass into a large single storey weaving shed with its characteristic saw tooth roof with north lights. Weaving was the principal activity here, the larger spinning mills of the Oldham Limited of the late nineteen century ware built in towns further south. The Burnley loom was a narrow loom that produeced grey cloth suitable for printing. Here we find many such stone built mills such as the Waterloo Shed north of Trafalgar Street and the Wiseman Street Shed, the Sandygate Shed (c1860), and the brickbuilt Woodfield Mill (1886).
engine displayed in the London Science Museum
. Butterworth & Dickinson
, Harling and Todd and Pemberton had foundries and built looms
here. Globe Iron Works was firstly used by but was taken over in 1870 by Butterfield and Dickinson. The Waterloo Iron works was owned by Onias Pickles, who acquired the business of Thomas Sagar manufacturing plain Burnley looms. In 1887 it was bought by the Pemberton Brothers who continued in manufacturing until 1963.
. and is staffed by volunteers the Weavers' Triangle Trust. It was initially housed in 2 rooms of the former canal offices on Manchester Road, but expanded into the adjacent wharfmaster’s house in 1987 and was renamed to the Weavers’ Triangle Visitor Centre. It has also received accreditation from Museums, Libraries and Archives Council
. In 1993 they took over the engine house and chimney at Oak Mount Mill. In 1996, a project began to restore the steam engine at Oak Mount Mill with funding from the National Lottery, Burnley council and the Museums and Galleries Commission. The restoration project was completed in 2001, with an electric motor powering the engine as replacing the boiler was deemed too expensive. Both the engine and the building are now listed as Scheduled Ancient Monuments.
, it adjoins the civic and cultural centres and the commercial centre of the town. It is bounded on the south-west by established housing. The River Calder
passes through the town, and is joined by the River Brun
. The Leeds and Liverpool Canal
is the spine around which the Weavers triangle developed which was built in 1796, it gave Burnley access to Liverpool
and sources of cotton
in the Mississippi Basin and Egypt
, and also to coal needed to power steam engines
. The surface of the canal is over 10m above that of the rivers. For most of the site, the canal ran to the south west of the Calder, before turning north north east and crossing the two valleys on a straight 1350 yards (1,234 m) long and up to 60 feet (18 m) high, embankment. It passes over the Calder at 53.7865°N 2.2378°W and the Brun at 53.7972°N 2.2347°W.
The core heritage area of Weavers’ Triangle defines an area bounded by Manchester Road, Trafalgar Street, Westgate and what is now Queen’s Lancashire Way. In planning terms the Weavers' Triangle development area expands further south-west, and along the canal to the Finsley Gate bridge.
The Burnley Way
passes through the area, along the towpath of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, and is considered to start and finish at the Visitor Centre. The Caldervale
railway passes to the south of the site, with the Manchester Road station
approximately 200m from the visitor centre, 53.7865°N 2.2464°W. The East Lancashire Line
also passes to the north, with the Barracks station
just off the northern corner of the site.
and English Heritage
and Burnley Council. This work included re-roofing, repointing
and sand blasting the walls, and replacing many windows. Although parts of the building have since been let to local businesses, it has been for sale for the majority of the time since, and remains so today.
In the mid 1990s the Burnley wharf (of which the visitor centre is a part), was restored in a joint project involving British Waterways
. The £1M project included the establishment of a bar and restaurant in one of the former warehouses. Despite suffering early difficulties it has continued to operate successfully for many years.
In March 1996, Mile Wharf Ltd and British Waterways
briefly started work to turn Finsley Wharf into a marina and leisure complex. Also in 1996 a bid was subitted to the Millennium Fund for a £2.5m scheme to provide a new visual arts centre and public square and the widening of the canal to provide extra visitor moorings, and included the reconstruction of the clock at Clock Tower Mill.
In 1998 Liverpool-based Millview Developments purchased Sandygate Mill as part of a plan to turn the neighbouring Slater Terrace weavers' cottages into a luxury canalside hotel. The scheme finally collapsed in 1999, when Millview announced two hotel companies, had pulled out and they could not find another interested buyer. In June 1999 a major fire gutted the upper floors of the unoccupied Sandygate Mill.
In 1999, after nearly three years in the planning stages, work started on restoring the former Proctors' Iron Works in Hammerton Street, between the town centre and the triangle area. It was hoped that the nightclub and hotel complex together with improvements to the street, would encourage future investment on the canal side. The project again received funding from the ERDF and English Heritage, with the nightclub component of the project proving successful.
In April 2004, Birmingham-based St. Modwen Properties
purchased Healey Royd and Finsley Gate Mills, at the south-eastern end of the site. In May, Rossendale-based Hurstwood Developments purchased the Millview properties and began work on a new plan for the area, they later acquired Victoria Mill.
In April 2005, Amberfell Estates received outline planning permission to demolish a large part of Thorneybank Mill in Nelson Square, with a view to building 24 homes. In March 2006 it was announced that a £260m master plan for redevelopment of the whole area, had been drawn up. It was hoped that this could be used to attract additional developers to the project.
At the end of the month, St. Modwen released a plan for a £10m redevelopment of their site. Under this plan Healey Royd Mill and the surrounding land would be used for housing and Finsley Gate would be converted into a business space complex. On a related visit to the town, English Heritage
Chief Executive Dr Simon Thurley
announced the appointment of two new specialist advisors to the project. Towards the end of the year Hurstwood submitted its £50m plans for its properties on the site, including an 800 capacity music venue and restaurants, offices and homes. In April 2007, a fire (belevied to have been deliberately started) destroyed a section of the roof of George Street Mill. In September, plans were released by the Elevate regeneration agency, for the redevelopment of the Victoria Mill complex. Based on the “Fashion Tower” concept suggested by Tony Wilson
and his partner, 'Weave' was envisaged as a mixture of textile museum and designer fashion centre. The first cracks started to appear in this project the following month, when a frustrated Hurstwood placed all its properties on the market. After weeks of negotiations, at the start of 2008, Hurstwood where persuaded to return to the project, and submitted revised plans for their portion of the site. They also issued a statement stressing the urgent need they felt to begin construction. Soon after approximately £5m of national lottery and NWDA funding was secured for complimentary heritage projects in the triangle. In February, as part of a visit to Burnley
, Prince Charles travelled along the canal on a barge, to inspect the state of the mills. April saw the submission of plans from Accrington-based Valegate to redevelop the George Street Mill site. The plan included the demolition and rebuilding of much of the mill, with additional building to create a 167 unit apartment and shopping complex.
By now the world financial crisis was beginning to be felt. Over the summer, 3 of Hurstwood’s property arms collapsed into administration, although this did not affect the ownership of their triangle sites. In October it was announced that due to the financial climate the project was to be suspended for at least 2 years.
In November, a large part of Woodfield Mill (next to Victoria Mill) had to be demolished following a large fire that virtually destroyed the 3 story warehouse building. In January 2009, former Chairman of English Heritage
, Sir Neil Cossons
was appointed chair the steering group responsible for reinvigorating blueprints for the site. At the start of April a £4.9m NWDA grant enabled Burnley Council to purchase Hurstwood’s sites and the neighbouring premises of Dexter paints. Later that month, £65,000 was requested to save the former Neptune Pub. The 200 year old, three storey building is believed to be the oldest remaining structure in the area. Despite failing to secure planning permission the previous year, Valegate had opted to proceed with the demolition of George Street Mill. May saw the submission of an updated set of plans, although these were also rejected. In June, St. Modwen decided that due to looting during the period that they have been unoccupied, they would now need to demolish Finsley Gate and Healey Royd mills. In September, repair work, funded by Burnley Council and NWDA, began on Victoria Mill and the Neptune Building.
The general election in May, brought a new Government and soon became obvious that this would have an effect. In June it was announced that the NWDA, along with the other Regional development agency
s, is to be abolished. June also saw another attempt by Valegate to secure planning permission for the George Street Mill site. Despite demolishing everything but the external walls, Amberfell never started construction on the residential development and the Thorneybank Mill site was sold to Balmers Garden Machinery, the long term occupants of the remaining section of the building. In September 2010, Balmers £3m plans to extend into the vacant site where deemed inappropriate for the area. In October, the Valegate site appeared on the market. It was also confirmed that additional repair work would take place on the council owned site. November saw new plans from St. Modwen, taking into account their desire to demolish the mills. In January 2011, it was confirmed that there would not be an immediate application for money from the new regional development fund.
Burnley
Burnley is a market town in the Burnley borough of Lancashire, England, with a population of around 73,500. It lies north of Manchester and east of Preston, at the confluence of the River Calder and River Brun....
town centre in Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
. This ribbon development of predominantly 19th Century industrial buildings is clustered around the Leeds and Liverpool Canal
Leeds and Liverpool Canal
The Leeds and Liverpool Canal is a canal in Northern England, linking the cities of Leeds and Liverpool. Over a distance of , it crosses the Pennines, and includes 91 locks on the main line...
. It has been identified as a significant conservation area as the remaining cotton mill
Cotton mill
A cotton mill is a factory that houses spinning and weaving machinery. Typically built between 1775 and 1930, mills spun cotton which was an important product during the Industrial Revolution....
s and associated buildings encapsulates the social and economic development of Burnley and its weaving industry.
A project to restore the area, which began in the 1980s, has only achieved very limited success despite considerable investment.
History
In the 1700s, BurnleyBurnley
Burnley is a market town in the Burnley borough of Lancashire, England, with a population of around 73,500. It lies north of Manchester and east of Preston, at the confluence of the River Calder and River Brun....
like Marsden
Nelson, Lancashire
Nelson is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Pendle in Lancashire, England, with a population of 28,998 in 2001. It lies 4 miles north of Burnley on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal....
and Colne
Colne
Colne is the second largest town and civil parish in the Borough of Pendle in Lancashire, England, with a population of 20,118. It lies at the eastern end of the M65, 6 miles north-east of Burnley, with Nelson immediately adjacent, in the Aire Gap with two main roads leading into the Yorkshire...
was a centre of the wool industry and it switched over to cotton in the first half of the 1800s. Hargreaves hand operated Spinning Jenny
Spinning jenny
The spinning jenny is a multi-spool spinning frame. It was invented c. 1764 by James Hargreaves in Stanhill, Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire in England. The device reduced the amount of work needed to produce yarn, with a worker able to work eight or more spools at once. This grew to 120 as technology...
was introduced into Blackburn in 1767, the model patented had 16 sixteen spindles and it was treated with suspicion. It naturally was only suitable for weft
Weft
In weaving, weft or woof is the yarn which is drawn through the warp yarns to create cloth. In North America, it is sometimes referred to as the "fill" or the "filling yarn"....
. Arkwright's power driven water frame, which produced twist (suitable for warp
Warp
Warp, warped or warping may refer to:- Books and comics :* WaRP Graphics, an alternative comics publisher* Warp , comic book series published by First Comics based on the play Warp!...
) was more unpopular. In 1777, Arkwright started to build a mill at Birkacre on the edge of Chorley
Chorley
Chorley is a market town in Lancashire, in North West England. It is the largest settlement in the Borough of Chorley. The town's wealth came principally from the cotton industry...
. But by 1779, the momentum against power driven spinning machinery was such that rioters destroyed the mill. Spinners and investors were driven away from Blackburn and Burnley towards Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, and it was many years before anyone ventured to build a spinning mill in this area.
In the early 1790s, construction of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal
Leeds and Liverpool Canal
The Leeds and Liverpool Canal is a canal in Northern England, linking the cities of Leeds and Liverpool. Over a distance of , it crosses the Pennines, and includes 91 locks on the main line...
resumed after a decade long suspension caused by the American war of independence. During this break, the increasing economic importance of coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
led to a change in the previously agreed, but long disputed, route. The route would move south away from Clitheroe
Clitheroe
Clitheroe is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Ribble Valley in Lancashire, England. It is 1½ miles from the Forest of Bowland and is often used as a base for tourists in the area. It has a population of 14,697...
’s Agricultural lime
Agricultural lime
Agricultural lime, also called aglime, agricultural limestone, garden lime or liming, is a soil additive made from pulverized limestone or chalk. The primary active component is calcium carbonate...
source to a more expensive route via the coalfield
Coalfield
A coalfield is an area of certain uniform characteristics where coal is mined. The criteria for determining the approximate boundary of a coalfield are geographical and cultural, in addition to geological...
of Burnley
Burnley
Burnley is a market town in the Burnley borough of Lancashire, England, with a population of around 73,500. It lies north of Manchester and east of Preston, at the confluence of the River Calder and River Brun....
. At Burnley, this route almost encircled what was then a small town, running through the fields a little way outside it. Although weaving existed in the area previously, this was predominantly wool based and for local markets. The opening of the canal coincided with the rise of both cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
weaving and the use of steam power in textile mills, allowing greater freedom in their placement.
The 1840s proved pivotal to the development of the area. Firstly the canal company began allowing mills to take the water they needed for steam engines directly from the canal. In 1848 the East Lancashire Railway
East Lancashire Railway
The East Lancashire Railway is a heritage railway in Lancashire and Greater Manchester, England.-Overview:After formal closure by British Rail in 1982, the line was reopened on 25 July 1987. The initial service operated between Bury and Ramsbottom, via Summerseat. In 1991 the service was extended...
opened to the barracks
Burnley Barracks railway station
Burnley Barracks railway station is on the East Lancashire Line 800 metres west of Burnley Central railway station. Following the singling of the track in 1986, Burnley Barracks has one platform in use...
near the western end of Trafalgar Street. And in 1849, the Manchester and Leeds Railway
Manchester and Leeds Railway
The Manchester and Leeds Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom which opened in 1839, connecting Manchester with Leeds via the North Midland Railway which it joined at Normanton....
opened a branch from Todmorden
Todmorden
Todmorden is a market town and civil parish, located 17 miles from Manchester, within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale, in West Yorkshire, England. It forms part of the Upper Calder Valley and has a total population of 14,941....
to Burnley
Burnley
Burnley is a market town in the Burnley borough of Lancashire, England, with a population of around 73,500. It lies north of Manchester and east of Preston, at the confluence of the River Calder and River Brun....
(extended soon after). A goods shed
Goods shed
A goods shed is a railway building designed for storing goods before or after carriage in a train.A typical goods shed will have a track running through it to allow goods wagons to be unloaded under cover, although sometimes they were built alongside a track with possibly just a canopy over the door...
was sited at Thorneybank at the eastern end of Trafalgar Street, where the town’s cinema stands today. Of the many new Cotton Mill
Cotton mill
A cotton mill is a factory that houses spinning and weaving machinery. Typically built between 1775 and 1930, mills spun cotton which was an important product during the Industrial Revolution....
s subsequently constructed along the canal, this meant that the greatest concentration formed in what was then part of the township
Township (England)
In England, a township is a local division or district of a large parish containing a village or small town usually having its own church...
of Habergham Eaves
Habergham Eaves
Habergham Eaves is a civil parish in the borough of Burnley, in Lancashire, England. The parish consists of a rural area south of Burnley, and suburban areas on the outskirts of the town, including a large industrial estate in the north-west corner of the parish. Habergham is also the name of an...
.
The second half of the 19th century saw Burnley
Burnley
Burnley is a market town in the Burnley borough of Lancashire, England, with a population of around 73,500. It lies north of Manchester and east of Preston, at the confluence of the River Calder and River Brun....
develop into the most important cotton-weaving town in the world. As Burnley expanded, the area later to be known as the weavers' triangle, officially became part of the town in 1894. By 1911, the towns textile industry was at the height of its prosperity, there were approximately 99,000 power loom
Power loom
A power loom is a mechanized loom powered by a line shaft. The first power loom was designed in 1784 by Edmund Cartwright and first built in 1785. It was refined over the next 47 years until a design by Kenworthy and Bullough, made the operation completely automatic. This was known as the...
s in operation, and its population had grown from 4,000 (1801) to over 100,000.
The almost terminal decline of the English cotton industry in the decades that followed World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, brought great difficulties to the local economy. During successive attempts to regenerate the town, many of the mills where demolished, however most in the triangle area where protected and today stand as monuments to the past.
Architecture
The Weavers triangle is notable for the juxtaposition of so many 19th century buildings rather than specific building. Ashmore in his work on industrial archaeology, does however point out certain specific buildings of interest.Canal warehouses
At Manchester Road Wharf on the southern side of the canal, there is a group of 3 warehouses each of a different age and style. On wharf I SD8387 3228 53.7866°N 2.2463°W there is a 1801 built two storey stone warehouse of 7 by 3 bays. it was built parallel to the canal allowing direct unloading from the barges using catshead cranes. On wharf II SD 8385 3235 53.7872°N 2.2466°W there is a single storey open fronted stone warehouse. This was built in the 1890s. The roof is supported by 4 rows of full-height cast iron columns. This type of warehouse remained a feature of dock architecture well into the 20th century. On wharf III at SD8383 3232 53.7869°N 2.2469°W is a four storey 1841 stone built warehouse, that is parallel to the canal. The floors and the queen post truss roof are supported bycast iron columns, On the road side there is a projecting three storey loading bay.Weaving sheds
A traditional weaving mill would have a two or three storey preparation area for pirning the yarn, beaming and sizing attached to an engine house with a 500 hp mill engineStationary steam engine
Stationary steam engines are fixed steam engines used for pumping or driving mills and factories, and for power generation. They are distinct from locomotive engines used on railways, traction engines for heavy steam haulage on roads, steam cars , agricultural engines used for ploughing or...
, boiler house and chimney. The line shafts from the engine would pass into a large single storey weaving shed with its characteristic saw tooth roof with north lights. Weaving was the principal activity here, the larger spinning mills of the Oldham Limited of the late nineteen century ware built in towns further south. The Burnley loom was a narrow loom that produeced grey cloth suitable for printing. Here we find many such stone built mills such as the Waterloo Shed north of Trafalgar Street and the Wiseman Street Shed, the Sandygate Shed (c1860), and the brickbuilt Woodfield Mill (1886).
Spinning mills
Victoria Mill SD833326 53.789°N 2.255°W early four storey spinning mill from the 1850 built on Trafalgar Street for throstle spinning, There was however a small attached weaving shed.Combined mills
Trafalgar mill to the west of Waterloo shed is an example of a combined mill- one that did the spinning and then passed the yarn to its own weaving sheds. This was a four storey stone built in 1840 as mule spinning mill and later extended with attached weaving sheds. Sprinkler systems became essential in the 1880s and a water tank was added. Clock Tower mill, on the north side of the canal east of Sandygate was another. It was built in c 1840 by George Slater, there were four and five story spinning mills by the canal and a six storey 5 bay by 9 bay with a clock tower, the weaving shed was to the east. John Watts (Burnley) Ltd ran the mill from 1890 to the 1980s.Foundries
Burnley was the home to the Burnley Iron Works SD 836326 53.789°N 2.250°W a large engineering firm, which made mill engines including the Harle SykeHarle Syke
Harle Syke is a small village within the parish of Briercliffe, situated three miles north of Burnley, Lancashire, England. It was the home to eleven weaving firms, working out of seven mills. Queen Street Mill closed in 1982, and was converted to a textile museum, preserving it as a working mill...
engine displayed in the London Science Museum
Science museum
A science museum or a science centre is a museum devoted primarily to science. Older science museums tended to concentrate on static displays of objects related to natural history, paleontology, geology, industry and industrial machinery, etc. Modern trends in museology have broadened the range of...
. Butterworth & Dickinson
Butterworth & Dickinson
Butterworth and Dickinson were textile machinery manufacturers in Burnley Lancashire UK. It made looms. The Saunders Bank works was founded by Samuel Dickinson, and inherited in 1871, by his nephew William, from Tosside, Bolton-by-Bowland who went into partnership with John Butterworth, of "Oak Bank"...
, Harling and Todd and Pemberton had foundries and built looms
Lancashire Loom
The Lancashire Loom was a semi-automatic power loom invented by James Bullough and William Kenworthy in 1842. Although it is self-acting, it has to be stopped to recharge empty shuttles. It was the mainstay of the Lancashire cotton industry for a century....
here. Globe Iron Works was firstly used by but was taken over in 1870 by Butterfield and Dickinson. The Waterloo Iron works was owned by Onias Pickles, who acquired the business of Thomas Sagar manufacturing plain Burnley looms. In 1887 it was bought by the Pemberton Brothers who continued in manufacturing until 1963.
| Building | Built | Demol | Description | Notes | Cordinates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albert Mill | 1870(c) | - | Cotton Mill | Built as a Spinning mill for Thomas Pomfret | 53.78833°N 2.25129°W |
| Belle Vue Mill | 1863 | - | Cotton Mill | Built as a weaving mill | 53.79022°N 2.25453°W |
| Burnley Wharf | 1796 | - | Wharf and stables on Leeds and Liverpool Canal Leeds and Liverpool Canal The Leeds and Liverpool Canal is a canal in Northern England, linking the cities of Leeds and Liverpool. Over a distance of , it crosses the Pennines, and includes 91 locks on the main line... |
Site of the Weavers' Triangle Visitor Centre | 53.78681°N 2.24646°W |
| Caledonia Mill | 1835 | pre 1998 | Cotton Mill | Built as a Cotton mill and Boiler works. Cotton mill only after 1860. Only small part survives | 53.78870°N 2.25176°W |
| Canal Street Shed | 1880 | 2008 | Cotton Mill | Built as a weaving mill. Occupies part of the former Burnley Iron Works site. Only small part survives | 53.78891°N 2.24980°W |
| Celtique Mill (Waterloo Shed) | 1860s | - | Cotton Mill | Weaving Shed | 53.78714°N 2.24966°W |
| Charlotte Street Mill | 1848 | - | Cotton Mill | Built as a Weaving mill called Queen Street Mill. Renamed in 1916 | 53.78850°N 2.24886°W |
| Clock Tower Mill | 1840 | 2004 | Cotton Mill | Built as a spinning mill. Extended in 1857, Clock tower added in 1867 | 53.78921°N 2.25105°W |
| George Street Mill | 1878(c) | 2008 | Cotton Mill | Built as a weaving mill. Occupies part of the former Burnley Iron Works site. Only a small part survives | 53.78841°N 2.25002°W |
| Globe Iron Works | 1830–1848 | 2004 | Iron Works | One of the sites of Butterworth & Dickinson Butterworth & Dickinson Butterworth and Dickinson were textile machinery manufacturers in Burnley Lancashire UK. It made looms. The Saunders Bank works was founded by Samuel Dickinson, and inherited in 1871, by his nephew William, from Tosside, Bolton-by-Bowland who went into partnership with John Butterworth, of "Oak Bank"... loom maker |
53.78641°N 2.24969°W |
| Habergham Eaves Parochial School | 1840 | - | Former School | Built by Holy Trinity Church as a day School | 53.78852°N 2.25216°W |
| Hope Works | 1874 | - | Cotton Mill | Weaving Shed built for Thomas Carr | 53.78694°N 2.24927°W |
| Lord Nelson Inn | ??? | - | Public House | Still in use as a pub, now called the Ministry of Ale | 53.78601°N 2.24788°W |
| Meadow Mill | 1910 | - | Cotton Mill | Stands on the site of the earlier Walker Hey Mill. Rebuilt in 1950 following a fire. | 53.78797°N 2.24919°W |
| Mount Pleasant Baptist Chapel | 1835 | - | Church | Originally constructed by the Protestant Wesleyan Methodist Society Wesleyan Association The Wesleyan Association, or the Wesleyan Methodist Association, was a Christian denomination in the United Kingdom that was formed in 1836, largely by Protestant Methodists. Their place of worship was the Wesleyan Association Chapel. They sent several missionaries to Jamaica and Australia.Robert... , bought by Baptists in 1868. |
53.78730°N 2.24621°W |
| Nelson House | 1805 | - | Georgian Georgian architecture Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United... Villa |
Built by the Holgate family; Currently used as a Masonic Hall | 53.78648°N 2.24726°W |
| Neptune Inn | 1825(c) | - | Public House | 53.78958°N 2.25116°W | |
| Oak Mount Mill | 1840 | - | Cotton Mill | Cotton spinning mill built by William Hopwood to replace woollen mill. Converted to weaving. Extended in 1849 and 1887. | 53.78694°N 2.24927°W |
| Old Malthouse | 1850–1890 | - | Warehouse | Malt Warehouse probably connected to Massey's Bridge End Brewery nearby | 53.78975°N 2.25055°W |
| Plane Tree Inn | ??? | - | Public House | Built by William Hopwood as a private home, converted to an inn in 1897 | 53.79004°N 2.24963°W |
| Sandygate Mill | 1859 | - | Cotton Mill | Built for George Slater | 53.78900°N 2.25271°W |
| Sandygate Shed | ??? | pre 1998 | Cotton Mill | Built for George Slater | 53.78964°N 2.25164°W |
| Slater Terrace | 1850 | - | Cotton Mill | Built for George Slater as 11 workers houses over a canalside warehouse. Ceased use as housing in 1900 and converted for use by Sandygate Mill | 53.78920°N 2.25227°W |
| Thorneybank Mill | c1860 | - | Cotton Mill | Built for Graham and Shepherd as a spinning Mill, coverted to weaving in 1884 | 53.78648°N 2.24846°W |
| Trafalgar Mill | 1846 | - | Cotton Mill | Built as a Mule spinning Mill. Owned for many years by the Thompson family | 53.78748°N 2.24994°W |
| Trafalgar Shed | 1860(c) | 1980(c?) | Cotton Mill | Weaving Shed. Now the site of a garage. Some original walls survive | 53.78784°N 2.25057°W |
| Victoria Mill | 1855 | - | Cotton Mill | Built as a Throstle spinning Throstle frame The throstle frame was a spinning machine for cotton, wool, and other fibers, differing from a mule in having a continuous action, the processes of drawing, twisting, and winding being carried on simultaneously. It "derived its name from the singing or humming which it occasioned," throstle being a... Mill. Tower and 2 story shed added in 1889 |
53.78954°N 2.25415°W |
| Waterloo Hotel | 1865(c) | - | Public House | 53.78872°N 2.25254°W | |
| Waterloo Foundry | 1885 | - | Iron Works | Built for O. Pickles & Co. Taken over by Pemberton & Sons loom makers in 1890. 4 story Trafalgar Street extension in 1907, only part survives. | 53.78917°N 2.25324°W |
| Westgate Shed | 1886 | - | Cotton Mill | Weaving shed | 53.79005°N 2.25012°W |
| Woodfield Mill | 1888 | - | Cotton Mill | Weaving shed | 53.78936°N 2.25535°W |
| Source: Lowe, John (1985). Burnley. Phillimore. ISBN 9780850335958. | |||||
Visitor Centre
In 1977, the Burnley Industrial Museum Action Committee was formed to work for the preservation of the town's heritage. The Weavers' Triangle Toll House museum was established in on July 26, 1980, and opened by Brian RedheadBrian Redhead
Brian Leonard Redhead was a British author, journalist and broadcaster. He was probably best known as a co-presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4 which he worked on from 1975 until 1993, shortly before his death...
. and is staffed by volunteers the Weavers' Triangle Trust. It was initially housed in 2 rooms of the former canal offices on Manchester Road, but expanded into the adjacent wharfmaster’s house in 1987 and was renamed to the Weavers’ Triangle Visitor Centre. It has also received accreditation from Museums, Libraries and Archives Council
Museums, Libraries and Archives Council
The Museums, Libraries and Archives Council is a non-departmental public body in England and a registered charity with a remit to promote improvement and innovation in the area of museums, libraries and archives...
. In 1993 they took over the engine house and chimney at Oak Mount Mill. In 1996, a project began to restore the steam engine at Oak Mount Mill with funding from the National Lottery, Burnley council and the Museums and Galleries Commission. The restoration project was completed in 2001, with an electric motor powering the engine as replacing the boiler was deemed too expensive. Both the engine and the building are now listed as Scheduled Ancient Monuments.
Geography
The Weavers Triangle is an area of nineteenth century industrial landscape, it forms the south western edge of the triangular town centre in BurnleyBurnley
Burnley is a market town in the Burnley borough of Lancashire, England, with a population of around 73,500. It lies north of Manchester and east of Preston, at the confluence of the River Calder and River Brun....
, it adjoins the civic and cultural centres and the commercial centre of the town. It is bounded on the south-west by established housing. The River Calder
River Calder, Lancashire
The River Calder is a major tributary of the River Ribble, starting in Cliviger close to Burnley in Lancashire, England and is around 24 km / 15 miles in length. Its source is very close to that of the West Yorkshire river with the same name, and that of the River Irwell. It flows through...
passes through the town, and is joined by the River Brun
River Brun
The River Brun is a river in eastern Lancashire.Rising at the confluence of Hurstwood Brook and Rock Water at Foxstones Bridge near the village of Hurstwood, the river runs north west towards the town of Burnley.The river passes through the artificial Rowley Lake near Rowley Hall and collects...
. The Leeds and Liverpool Canal
Leeds and Liverpool Canal
The Leeds and Liverpool Canal is a canal in Northern England, linking the cities of Leeds and Liverpool. Over a distance of , it crosses the Pennines, and includes 91 locks on the main line...
is the spine around which the Weavers triangle developed which was built in 1796, it gave Burnley access to Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
and sources of cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
in the Mississippi Basin and Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, and also to coal needed to power steam engines
Stationary steam engine
Stationary steam engines are fixed steam engines used for pumping or driving mills and factories, and for power generation. They are distinct from locomotive engines used on railways, traction engines for heavy steam haulage on roads, steam cars , agricultural engines used for ploughing or...
. The surface of the canal is over 10m above that of the rivers. For most of the site, the canal ran to the south west of the Calder, before turning north north east and crossing the two valleys on a straight 1350 yards (1,234 m) long and up to 60 feet (18 m) high, embankment. It passes over the Calder at 53.7865°N 2.2378°W and the Brun at 53.7972°N 2.2347°W.
The core heritage area of Weavers’ Triangle defines an area bounded by Manchester Road, Trafalgar Street, Westgate and what is now Queen’s Lancashire Way. In planning terms the Weavers' Triangle development area expands further south-west, and along the canal to the Finsley Gate bridge.
The Burnley Way
Burnley Way
The Burnley Way is a 40 mile long distance footpath in Lancashire, England. As a circular walk it can be walked from any point, but it is considered to start and finish at the Weavers' Triangle Visitor Centre in Burnley. It covers a range of terrain from canal towpaths to open moorland.The...
passes through the area, along the towpath of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, and is considered to start and finish at the Visitor Centre. The Caldervale
Caldervale Line
The Caldervale Line is a railway route in Northern England between the cities of Leeds and Manchester as well as the seaside resort of Blackpool...
railway passes to the south of the site, with the Manchester Road station
Burnley Manchester Road railway station
Burnley Manchester Road is a railway station serving the town of Burnley, Lancashire.-History:On 12 November 1849, the Manchester and Leeds Railway opened a single line branch – doubled in 1860 – from Todmorden to Burnley. The first station in the town, which was at Thorney-bank, was replaced by...
approximately 200m from the visitor centre, 53.7865°N 2.2464°W. The East Lancashire Line
East Lancashire Line
The East Lancashire Line is a railway line in the Lancashire region of England, which runs between Preston and Colne, through Blackburn, Accrington and Burnley ....
also passes to the north, with the Barracks station
Burnley Barracks railway station
Burnley Barracks railway station is on the East Lancashire Line 800 metres west of Burnley Central railway station. Following the singling of the track in 1986, Burnley Barracks has one platform in use...
just off the northern corner of the site.
1980s
In April 1987, Clock Tower Mill, was severely damaged by a fire that rendered the building unusable.1990s
Between 1990 and 1996 extensive refurbishment work took place at Trafalgar Mill, with funding from the ERDFEuropean Regional Development Fund
The European Regional Development Fund is a fund allocated by the European Union.-History:During the 1960s, the European Commission occasionally tried to establish a regional fund. Only Italy ever supported this, however, and nothing came of it. Britain made it an issue for their accession in...
and English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
and Burnley Council. This work included re-roofing, repointing
Repointing
Repointing is the process of renewing the pointing in masonry construction. Over time, weathering and decay cause voids in the joints between masonry units , allowing the undesirable entrance of water. Water entering through these voids can cause significant damage through frost weathering and...
and sand blasting the walls, and replacing many windows. Although parts of the building have since been let to local businesses, it has been for sale for the majority of the time since, and remains so today.
In the mid 1990s the Burnley wharf (of which the visitor centre is a part), was restored in a joint project involving British Waterways
British Waterways
British Waterways is a statutory corporation wholly owned by the government of the United Kingdom, serving as the navigation authority in England, Scotland and Wales for the vast majority of the canals as well as a number of rivers and docks...
. The £1M project included the establishment of a bar and restaurant in one of the former warehouses. Despite suffering early difficulties it has continued to operate successfully for many years.
In March 1996, Mile Wharf Ltd and British Waterways
British Waterways
British Waterways is a statutory corporation wholly owned by the government of the United Kingdom, serving as the navigation authority in England, Scotland and Wales for the vast majority of the canals as well as a number of rivers and docks...
briefly started work to turn Finsley Wharf into a marina and leisure complex. Also in 1996 a bid was subitted to the Millennium Fund for a £2.5m scheme to provide a new visual arts centre and public square and the widening of the canal to provide extra visitor moorings, and included the reconstruction of the clock at Clock Tower Mill.
In 1999, after nearly three years in the planning stages, work started on restoring the former Proctors' Iron Works in Hammerton Street, between the town centre and the triangle area. It was hoped that the nightclub and hotel complex together with improvements to the street, would encourage future investment on the canal side. The project again received funding from the ERDF and English Heritage, with the nightclub component of the project proving successful.
2000s
In May 2001, a deal was announced between British Waterways and Nelson based NEL Construction for another attempt at the redevelopment of Finsley Wharf. This time, the £1.2m project would include office space and a canal side pub and restaurant. In early 2002 Millview decided to put its property in the area up for sale, alongside the Victoria Mill buildings that had already been on the market for more than 10 years. Little happened for more than a year, until a structural survey showed Clock Tower Mill to be in a dangerous condition. Demolition was the only viable option, and this was completed in January 2004. In February work began to demolish the Globe Works building to make way for a short lived car supermarket business.In April 2004, Birmingham-based St. Modwen Properties
St. Modwen Properties
St. Modwen Properties plc is a British-based property investment and development business specialising in the regeneration and remediation of brownfield land and urban environments...
purchased Healey Royd and Finsley Gate Mills, at the south-eastern end of the site. In May, Rossendale-based Hurstwood Developments purchased the Millview properties and began work on a new plan for the area, they later acquired Victoria Mill.
In April 2005, Amberfell Estates received outline planning permission to demolish a large part of Thorneybank Mill in Nelson Square, with a view to building 24 homes. In March 2006 it was announced that a £260m master plan for redevelopment of the whole area, had been drawn up. It was hoped that this could be used to attract additional developers to the project.
At the end of the month, St. Modwen released a plan for a £10m redevelopment of their site. Under this plan Healey Royd Mill and the surrounding land would be used for housing and Finsley Gate would be converted into a business space complex. On a related visit to the town, English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
Chief Executive Dr Simon Thurley
Simon Thurley
Simon John Thurley, CBE, FRIBA, F.R.Hist.S. is an academic and architectural historian, and the present Chief Executive of English Heritage .-Early life and education:...
announced the appointment of two new specialist advisors to the project. Towards the end of the year Hurstwood submitted its £50m plans for its properties on the site, including an 800 capacity music venue and restaurants, offices and homes. In April 2007, a fire (belevied to have been deliberately started) destroyed a section of the roof of George Street Mill. In September, plans were released by the Elevate regeneration agency, for the redevelopment of the Victoria Mill complex. Based on the “Fashion Tower” concept suggested by Tony Wilson
Tony Wilson
Anthony Howard Wilson, commonly known as Tony Wilson , was an English record label owner, radio presenter, TV show host, nightclub manager, impresario and journalist for Granada Television and the BBC....
and his partner, 'Weave' was envisaged as a mixture of textile museum and designer fashion centre. The first cracks started to appear in this project the following month, when a frustrated Hurstwood placed all its properties on the market. After weeks of negotiations, at the start of 2008, Hurstwood where persuaded to return to the project, and submitted revised plans for their portion of the site. They also issued a statement stressing the urgent need they felt to begin construction. Soon after approximately £5m of national lottery and NWDA funding was secured for complimentary heritage projects in the triangle. In February, as part of a visit to Burnley
Burnley
Burnley is a market town in the Burnley borough of Lancashire, England, with a population of around 73,500. It lies north of Manchester and east of Preston, at the confluence of the River Calder and River Brun....
, Prince Charles travelled along the canal on a barge, to inspect the state of the mills. April saw the submission of plans from Accrington-based Valegate to redevelop the George Street Mill site. The plan included the demolition and rebuilding of much of the mill, with additional building to create a 167 unit apartment and shopping complex.
By now the world financial crisis was beginning to be felt. Over the summer, 3 of Hurstwood’s property arms collapsed into administration, although this did not affect the ownership of their triangle sites. In October it was announced that due to the financial climate the project was to be suspended for at least 2 years.
In November, a large part of Woodfield Mill (next to Victoria Mill) had to be demolished following a large fire that virtually destroyed the 3 story warehouse building. In January 2009, former Chairman of English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
, Sir Neil Cossons
Neil Cossons
Sir Neil Cossons OBE FSA FMA is Pro-Provost and Chairman of the Council of the Royal College of Art, of which he has been a Governor since 1989. From 1986 to 2000 he was the Director of the Science Museum, London, UK, the National Museum of Science & Industry...
was appointed chair the steering group responsible for reinvigorating blueprints for the site. At the start of April a £4.9m NWDA grant enabled Burnley Council to purchase Hurstwood’s sites and the neighbouring premises of Dexter paints. Later that month, £65,000 was requested to save the former Neptune Pub. The 200 year old, three storey building is believed to be the oldest remaining structure in the area. Despite failing to secure planning permission the previous year, Valegate had opted to proceed with the demolition of George Street Mill. May saw the submission of an updated set of plans, although these were also rejected. In June, St. Modwen decided that due to looting during the period that they have been unoccupied, they would now need to demolish Finsley Gate and Healey Royd mills. In September, repair work, funded by Burnley Council and NWDA, began on Victoria Mill and the Neptune Building.
2010s
In April 2010, Burnley council admitted that the plans would have to be completely revisited, as the current schemes where unlikely to be feasible in the near future.The general election in May, brought a new Government and soon became obvious that this would have an effect. In June it was announced that the NWDA, along with the other Regional development agency
Regional Development Agency
In the United Kingdom, a regional development agency is a non-departmental public body established for the purpose of development, primarily economic, of one of England's Government Office regions. There is one RDA for each of the NUTS level 1 regions of England...
s, is to be abolished. June also saw another attempt by Valegate to secure planning permission for the George Street Mill site. Despite demolishing everything but the external walls, Amberfell never started construction on the residential development and the Thorneybank Mill site was sold to Balmers Garden Machinery, the long term occupants of the remaining section of the building. In September 2010, Balmers £3m plans to extend into the vacant site where deemed inappropriate for the area. In October, the Valegate site appeared on the market. It was also confirmed that additional repair work would take place on the council owned site. November saw new plans from St. Modwen, taking into account their desire to demolish the mills. In January 2011, it was confirmed that there would not be an immediate application for money from the new regional development fund.