Murrays' Mills

Murrays' Mills is a complex of former cotton mills on land between Jersey Street and the Rochdale Canal in Ancoats, an area of Manchester, England. The mills were built for brothers Adam and George Murray. The first mill on the site, Old Mill, was begun in 1797, and is the world's oldest surviving urban steam-powered cotton spinning factory. After Old Mill opened, the company continued to expand and prosper, and by 1806 the complex was the largest in the world, employing about 1,000 people at its peak: Decker Mill was opened in 1802, New Mill in 1804, Little Mill in 1822, and Doubling and Fireproof Mill in 1842. The main complex formed a quadrangle surrounding a private canal basin linked under the road to the Rochdale Canal, which opened in 1804. The canal basin was used to deliver raw cotton and coal and to transport spun cotton away from the complex. In 1898 A & G Murray became part of the Fine Cotton Spinners' and Doublers' Association Limited (FCSDA). The mill complex began to decline in the early 20th century as the canal basin was filled in and Little Mill burnt down. The mill was replaced with the earliest mill in Greater Manchester that was built to use mains electricity. The mill complex continued producing cotton until the 1950s. The mills were later leased out to other companies and in some cases allowed to fall into disrepair. Between 2000 and 2003, Urban Splash redeveloped Fireproof and Doubling Mill into offices, winning a RIBA Award. The rest of the complex underwent a £17 million regeneration between 2004 and 2006 and are proposed to be used as flats and a hotel.

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Old Mill, Manchester

Old Mill, completed in 1798 as part of Murrays' Mills, is the oldest surviving cotton mill in Manchester, England. Sited on the Rochdale Canal in Ancoats, it was powered by a Boulton and Watt steam engine, and its narrow six-storey brick structure "came to typify the Manchester cotton mill". Old Mill was designated a Grade II* listed building on 19 June 1988.

Historic Site Industrial

McConnel & Kennedy Mills

McConnel & Kennedy Mills are a group of cotton mills on Redhill Street in Ancoats, Manchester, England. With the adjoining Murrays' Mills, they form a nationally important group. The complex consists of six mills, Old Mill built in 1798, Long Mill from 1801 and Sedgewick Mill built between 1818 and 1820. A further phase of building in the early 20th century added Sedgewick New Mill in 1912, Royal Mill, originally the New Old Mill built in 1912 but renamed in 1942, and Paragon Mill also built in 1912. Paragon Mill, at eight storeys, was the world's tallest cast iron structure when it was built.

Historic Site Industrial

Royal Mill

Royal Mill, which is located on the corner of Redhill Street and Henry Street, Ancoats, in Manchester, England, is an early-20th-century cotton mill, one of the last of "an internationally important group of cotton-spinning mills" sited in East Manchester. Royal Mill was constructed in 1912 on part of the site of the earlier McConnel & Kennedy mills, established in 1798. It was originally called New Old Mill and was renamed following a royal visit by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in 1942. A plaque commemorates the occasion. The Ancoats mills collectively comprise "the best and most-complete surviving examples of early large-scale factories concentrated in one area".

Historic Site Industrial

Beehive Mill

Beehive Mill is a Grade II* listed former cotton mill in the district of Ancoats in Manchester, England. It is located on a site surrounded by Radium Street, Jersey Street, Bengal Street and Naval Street. The building was constructed in three phases, the first two being in the early 1820s with the third phase being added in 1847. The second phase, built in 1824 and used as warehousing, is an important example of early fireproof construction. The roof of the 1824 warehouse belonging to Beehive Mill is the only known surviving example in Manchester of an advanced form of mill roof using cast and wrought iron, and which was prefabricated. The third phase was five storeys tall and built along Bengal Street; this block was damaged by fire and partially rebuilt in 1861. The estimated value of the damage caused was £25,000. The adjacent Bengal Street block was destroyed by fire in July 2005. The fire threatened to destroy the rest of the complex, which housed Sankeys nightclub and offices. In an effort to extinguish the fire, water was pumped from the nearby Rochdale Canal. This site is now developed as residential. In 2002, the upper floor of the building was used as a filming location in the film 24 Hour Party People, taking on the role of the Factory Records offices. In 2017, Beehive Mill was sold to Urban Splash. It has been redeveloped as office and a luxury coworking space.

Industrial Landmark