Description

BOLTON

SD70NW LEVER STREET 797-1/4/137 (South side) 04/11/96 Grecian Mills

II

Cotton spinning and doubling works, comprising spinning mill with separate warehouse, office blocks, doubling sheds in enclosed site. Multi-phase site, with main spinning mill dated 1845, and extended c1860 and c1920; other buildings variously dated 1850s-60s. EXTERIOR AND PLAN: spinning mill of 5 storeys and basement, L-plan, comprising 2 main phases forming separate working areas. Rear range (the original mill, dated 1845) to south is 5 storey, 12x5 bays. Original entrance in north-west corner, giving access to staircase. Datestone over door, and inscribed pediment ('Grecian Mill') to eaves cornice. Eastern range (probably a second phase), 11x5 bays. Angles marked by full-height pilasters, and privy tower to north-east corner. Loading bay towards left, with partial cast-iron fire escape. Both phases have tall rectangular windows with flat-arched stone lintels. North wing c1920, on site of former reservoir. 5 storeys, 6x2 bays, with wide windows divided by a central cast-iron mullion between pilasters. Cornice above 4th floor, and heavy pilasters stressing projecting towers at outer corners. Art Nouveau detailing. Engine house projects from rear of southern (first phase) spinning mill: late C19 (and so replacing an earlier engine house), divided into 5-bays by pilasters, each bay with round arched window. Alongside the engine house to the north, a 3 storey, 4 bay wing probably originally scutching house (see West and RW Best), with taking-in doors in gable wall. This range now linked to main mill building by a C20 block. Internal construction is of cast-iron columns with plastered timber beams in the C19 parts of the mill, and thicker cast-iron columns with steel beams in the C20 extension. Opposite the engine house, is the boiler house, and alongside it a 2-storey warehouse and workshop building with loading doors braced with stone architraves. Rear of site has long 2-storey range, interrupted by octagonal chimney (aligned with boiler house and engine house). Part of this range dated 1868. Internal engine house facing Rigby Street to west. Later C19 extension of this range, also 2-storey but deeper plan, to north. Buildings to north of internal engine house formerly stores, to south, a doubling mill.

To south of site, a further 2-storey range (incomplete) dated over doorway 1859, and possibly originally offices and workshops. Doubling shed to rear of this range; further doubling sheds were located between this building and the main spinning mill; 5 surviving bays with traces of a further 6 still visible against boundary wall of site. Two office buildings adjacent to Lever Street entrance. At right angles to the street, a single storey building with 3-window range to yard, with heavy Italianate detailing. Dated 1869, and formerly the board room and general office. Parallel to street, a 2-storey 21-window range incorporating arched former site entrance, and formerly housing stores, warehouse, packing rooms and office. INTERIOR: not inspected. The No.1 spinning mill represents an early example of large-scale mill building in Bolton, and the development of the site for integrated work is also of considerable interest. It survives almost intact. (Greater Manchester Archaeological Unit: Greater Manchester Sites and Monuments Record; Best W: Plans of the all the Cotton, Iron and other works in Bolton: 1857-1858; Longworth J: The Cotton Mills of Bolton: Bolton: 1987-; Plan of Grecian Mills: c1890).



Listing NGR: SD7165807897

External Links

• Wikidata Q26667657

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Recommended Books

• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hampshire: South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)