FIELD MILL
Also known as KENYON STREET MILL
Built mid 19th century.
There is a good account of this mill in the book Cotton Mills in Greater Manchester by Mike William with D.A. Farnie – The Greater Manchester Archaeology Unit in association with The Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England 1992. page 149
Field Mill Ramsbottom – The Field Mill site consists of a small stone-built spinning mill dating from the middle of the 19th century with an adjoining weaving shed of similar date and a variety of attached ancillary buildings [fig 176a]. Its scale and construction suggest that it was probably built as a cotton waste mill. The spinning mill is of three storeys and an attic and nine bays in length. It is non-fireproof, with joisted timber floors supported by a single row of columns. It was originally powered by a steam engine in a small external engine house attached to the north end. The main upright shaft was attached to the inside of the end wall. The north-light weaving shed to the south was built to a square plan of ten bays. The shed was originally powered from the engine house but both it and the spinning mill were converted to electric power in the early 20th century.
At the time of recording in 1988 the site was still in use as a cotton waste mill. The weaving shed contained modern looms with individual electric motors. The spinning mill, however, contained machinery more typical of the late 19th century. The line shafting was rope driven from two large electric motors in a group-drive system. The motors themselves were of early 20th century date. Carding engines were located at ground level with two pairs of mules arranged longitudinally in the first and second floors. [figs 176b and 176c] The carding engines were belt-driven from three line-shafts, the central one attached to the columns, which were powered from a 160 H.P. motor located outside the south end wall. A gabled shed attached to the west side contained additional cards and a doubling frame driven by another line shaft powered from the same motor [fig 176d] The mules were driven from a separate 175 HP motor situated outside the west wall. Power was transmitted to transverse line shafts in the upper floors by means of a rope-drive system, with the ropes passing through traps cut into the floors.
There is also a short article relating to Masson Mills, Derwent Valley – from internet.
Condenser Mule – built 1899. It was the last working condenser mule in the world. It was brought to Masson Mills from Field Mill in Ramsbottom, Lancashire where it was still working in August 1991. Mules combined the two processes of spinning and drawing the yarn into one machine.
Unfortunately I have found very little relating to Field Mill elsewhere. The only reference to people who operated at Field Mill was in an RHS Magazine [No: 27 Winter 2004 page 6/7] in an article entitled ‘Memories of Kenyon Street by Tom Barrett’. He started work at Field Mill in 1935 when he says;
‘I think Field Mill was owned at the time I worked there by Mr Ashworth. It was run by the owner’s nephew, Donald Coupe. The raw cotton was carded on the ground floor and the spinning was on the second and third floors. The weaving shed had 148 looms. There were half a dozen four-loom weavers but most had three looms, two on one side and one on the other. At Field they made white calico with one special section making fabric for lining Wellington boots’
On 1908 map the mill is marked as ‘cotton’ but it is not named and there is nothing in the trade section.
1910 Rothwell Bros owner/occupiers mill and weaving shed. Field Mill, Kenyon Street. [PUB 8/163 Valuation List 1910 Bury Archives]
1912 J & E Rothwell [Valuation List PUB 8/163 Supplementary for 1912 - appeal weaving shed Field Mill Kenyon Street]. J & E Rothwell previously operated at Crow & Meadow Mills, Railway Street, Ramsbottom.
Survey & Valuation List for Tottington Lower End PUB8/161 1910 – pages relating to 1912 refers to:
- J & E Rothwell, weaving shed, Field Mill, Kenyon Street.
- Rothwell Brothers owner/occu[iers Field Mill, Kenyon Street
{Note – wonder if these were the Rothwells from Crow/Meadow Mill, Railway Street??}
In Kellys Trade Directory of 1924 it is listed as Field Mill Ltd., cotton goods manufacturers, Kenyon Street.
In the 1953 Coronation Year Official Programme of Events there is an advertisement:
Field Mill Limited, Kenyon Street, Ramsbottom – cotton waste spinners and manufacturers. Tel: 2191. Flannelettes, Raising Cloths, Shoe & Slipper Cloths. Field Mill Ltd, Ramsbottom.
In the 1957 Ramsbottom Official Guide there is an advertisement:
Field Mill Limited – cotton waste spinners and manufacturers Kenyon Street, Ramsbottom Tel: 2191
There is nothing in the Trade Directories to indicate who owned/ran Field Mill. However, in the 1880s, there are references to Kenyon Street Mill and it would seem reasonable to assume that this mill was called Kenyon Street Mill until the early 20th century.
In Barrett’s Directory 1883 Schofield & Ashworth, cotton spinners & manufacturers are listed at Kenyon Street Mill. James Ashworth, cotton spinner, lived at 41 Callender Street and James Schofield lived at 86 Crow Lane.
In Slater’s Directory 1888 J. Schofield & Co, waste spinners were listed at Kenyon Street Mill. James Ashworth, manufacturer at J. Schofield & Co, lived at Irwell View and James Schofield, manufacturer at J. Schofield & Co, also lived at Irwell View.
In the notes relating to the RHS Exhibition in 1989 it is noted that Field Mill was ‘weaving’.
In a letter from Joe Hitchon of 9 Limefield Brow, Bury dated 8.10.1990 to an RHS member (Found in RHS Archives in Civic Hall Feb 2009) he states that Field Mill was run by ‘Ashworth’.
Closed 1990. Article in Bury times Saturday 17.2.1990 One of Lancashire’s oldest cotton mills weaved its last thread yesterday just after 16 months since its spinning section closed down. Taylor & Hartley Fabrics [of Westhoughton] has produced industrial cloths, upholstery fabrics and dusters. Since 1988 when 24 jobs were lost as the spinning section folded, Field Mill has concentrated on weaving fabrics. Frank Ashworth, works manager said a further 22 jobs have been lost because of the final closure. He said, ‘The mill which has been working since the turn of the century, is closing because of the economic climate, high interest rates and foreign competition. Already looms and weaving equipment have been bought by a firm in Darwen and the actual mill building was bought last August by neighbours Kays (Ramsbottom) Ltd the flourishing soap works’.
Part demolished 2005 [Bury Times 23.2.1990]
Weaving shed still stands 2008.