Weavers Triangle

The weather was nice and we had finally found a leaflet with a guide to the Weavers Triangle so we decided to have a walk after the Archers to see what we could see.

Traflgar Mill was built in the 1840's and was extended in the 1860's and again in the 1870's. A tower was added in 1888 and a water tank added to the top to supply a fire sprinkler system. The one story weaving sheds, behind the mill, were the last to produce cloth in the area before closing in 1990. Happily the mill has been restored and is in occupation.

Walker Hey footbridge was erected 1891/92 to make a more convenient route for walkers to cross the canal. The path crosses the weaving shed as it disappears to the right. You can also see the Trafalgar Mill tower and water tank above. I love the way it cuts a corner of the mill building off

Slater Terrace was built in the 1840's by George Slater. It is an iconic building for the area as eleven four roomed houses were built above a canal warehouse where raw cotton or coal were stored. The front doors came out on to the iron landing over the canal. The end two house were converted to be bolier houses for the newly built Sandygate Mill. A warehouse was added next to the house and later they were altered to be the boiler house and chimney. There is a new foot bridge in the distance that was built in 2012.

This is Oak Mount Mill and was started as a spinning mill in 1830. Ten years later a weaving shed was added. As was common with mills a series of fires caused much rebuilding and the current structure dates from 1887. They installed a steam engine made in Blackburn in the engine shed that is the one to the left that looks like a Methodist Chapel. The engine was a cross compound engine with two cylinders. The cylinders have been replaced several times by Burnley Iron Works, just down the road. The engine shed and working steam engine, along with the 120' high chimney are periodically run under steam by the Heritage Trust who own them.

The Neptune Inn has been saved from further decline as it is one of the oldest buildings in the Weaver's Triangle. 

Just down the Sandygate hill from the Neptune is the old malthouse. Barley was malted here for the local Massey's Brewery. It was a habit of the family to give the names of some of the male side 'Lord Sir', and the brwery was known as Lord Massey Brewery until 1889 when it was Massey's Burnley Brewery. They seemed to buy up all the competitors localy until 1966 when they themselves were purchased by Charringtons.

The first foundry here was built in 1793. It expanded and burned down until this current frontage was built in 1889. It became known as the Burnley Iron Works in 1885 and some of the largest steam engines were built here. The one in the Science Museum in London was built here. Taken there from Harle Syke Mill. It had become the Newtown Steelworks by the time it closed in 1981.

The Plane Tree In became a pub in the mid 1800's. It had originally been built as a private house for William Hopwood who had Oak Mount Mill built. The posh Jacobean frontage was added in 1890's. It looks as if it is been converted to apartments at the moment.

The triangular roofed building in the centre of the picture is an example of a weaving shed. They were usually one story and had these northern facing skylights. The weaving process had to be carried out in moist conditions. This was so that the thread moved round the process more easily with less breaks due to friction and pliability problems. The north lights let light in but did not heat up the rooms.

Across the canal is what is left of Woodfield Mill. It started out in 1889 and in a year had 1440 looms that made it one of the largest mills in the district. Unfortunately much of the mill was burned down in 2008. The engine house with the water tank on top was saved and the name and date or on the water tank.

This is the rear view of Belle Vue Terrace. The smaller ones were built in 1824/25 and the larger one on the end one 1844. The round headed windows are a feature in the area and bring light to the stairway.

This is the front of the Belle Vue Terrace and it can be seen it was a middle class place with a Curate, cotton spinner and calico printer in residence. Interestingly the row is roofed with Cumbrian stone as Welsh Slate was too expensive until the railways arrived in town.

Above is Victoria Mill from Trafalgar Street. The first part, on the left was built by the Massey Brewery family in 1855 as a throstle spinning mill. Throstles, or thrushes were part of Robert Arkwrights patented water frame and was named due to the sound they made in operation. By the 1880's it was greatly extend and on the right a unusual two story weaving shed was added. The mill has survived and has been converted to a technical college that has unfortunately closed down.

An entrance to Traflgar Mill from Trafalgar Street. Just close to here is a drive through chip shop. Well why not. The car park has a great view of the Pendle Hills to eat them in.

Finsley Gate Yard was a maintenance yard for the canal company and right at the end of the Burnley Embankment or 'Straight Mile'. Lock gates and boats were made and repaired here and the buildings were built when the canal was opened to Burnley. I heard that planning had been given for a mini marina here and a Lottery Grant back in 2014 to restore the three warehouses, a cottage, blacksmiths forge and a slipway. I seem to think it would be more like visitor moorings as I don't think they would let them dig into the frontage to make more berths.

The mills are all imposing buildings, but perhaps not quite as large as the woolen mills of West Yorkshire. Cotton weaving sheds were mainly on storey so less bulky. It is a shame that nothing was done 50 years ago to preserve the area, but then one didn't even think of such a thing then. What is left is a bit patchy making it a bit difficult to identify it as a distinct area, but the industrial archaeology and the beautiful buildings are well worth having a walk round. It is great to see what is left been put to use or incorporated into new designe.