Description

LANCASTER

SD4861 MOOR LANE 1685-1/5/189 (South side) 09/07/74 Mill 1, Moor Lane Mills South (Formerly Listed as: MOOR LANE (South side) Moor Lane Mill (oldest portion only))

GV II

Steam-powered cotton spinning mill, now offices. Main block completed by 1826 and probably fireproofed after 1861, gatehouse built at some time before 1877 and water tower added c1900. Closed 1982, adjoining weaving sheds demolished 1986 and main mill building converted to office use 1989-90. For Samuel Greg & Co. Squared coursed sandstone with cast-iron water tank on brick tower. Hipped slate roof. Main mill L-plan, of 5 storeys with battered walls. To the north is an attached range of one- and two-storey buildings adjoining Moor Lane. The windows are late C20 timber casements with small panes, imitating the original windows. All have plain reveals and projecting stone sills. All elevations are partly restored following removal of additions. The east elevation is of 13 bays. In the 10th bay there is a ground-floor doorway, and in the 11th bay a round-arched window with stone surround, moulded keystone and imposts marks the site of the engine. Restored round-arched openings on the ground floor in the 12th and 13th bays probably mark the position of the boilers. The end wall of the long arm of the 'L', facing south, was partly reconstructed following demolition of adjoining weaving sheds in 1986 and has 3 ground-floor doorways. To the right there is a narrow blocked opening in each floor. The main west elevation is of 10 bays and has doorways in the 1st and 6th bays. The west elevation of the short arm of the 'L' is of 3 bays. Its south elevation is of 2 bays with a doorway in the left-hand bay. The 5th (top) storey right-hand bay is blind: the cylindrical brick water tower rises behind it and has one window facing north and one facing south. The cast-iron water tank is circular in plan and has panelled sides and is surrounded by an iron walkway. The north elevation, to Moor Lane, has 2 upper storeys of the 6-bay main block visible behind a single-storey range. The 3rd storey is partly covered by a C20 glazed lean-to roof. The 3 right-hand bays of the central part of the single-storey range are canted forwards and contain casement windows. They are probably partly contemporary with the main mill building. To the left is a doorway with 2 blocked window openings to its right. Adjoining to the left (uphill) is the blind wall of the present boiler room, probably added by 1893. To the right is the 2-storey gatehouse, added by 1877, with rock-faced sandstone dressings and a slate roof. On the ground floor at the right it has a pedimented porch with a round-arched window to its left. On the first floor are 2 pairs of round-arched windows. The west elevation included 3 similar windows on the first floor. INTERIOR: reputed to be of fireproof construction except for the top floor and to have timber roof trusses. Reputed to have 2 rows of columns supporting brick arches running longitudinally down the mill and to have a circular stone staircase below the water tower. The conversion involved provision of additional staircases, lifts and toilet accommodation, and the installation of raised access floors in open-plan offices. HISTORY: built by Samuel Greg & Co (of Styal), who bought an adjoining sailcloth mill (now demolished) in 1825. In 1832 a 12 horsepower Boulton and Watt engine was brought over from Greg's original mill at Styal in Cheshire. In 1861 the mill was bought by Storey Brothers, who probably added the fireproofing. (Centre for NW Regional Studies Occasional Papers: Price, JWA: The Industrial Archaeology of the Lune Valley: Lancaster: 1983-: 32, FIG 11).

Listing NGR: SD4808761647

External Links

• Wikidata Q26578135

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Recommended Books

• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
• 
  Nottinghamshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Yorkshire West Riding: Leeds, Bradford and the North (Pevsner Architectural Guides / Buildings of England)
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  The green guide for historic buildings: how to improve the environmental performance of listed and historic buildings
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)