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

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26578135

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East: Norwich and North-east v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)
• 
  Herefordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)