Spotland Bridge New Mill stands at the north side of Bridgefold Road in
Spotland, Rochdale, and is now an industrial landmark. This once thriving
Victorian cotton spinning mill has been newly renovated in recent years, and is
now an industrial centre with a cafe. The original mill was built in 1833 and
run by the family firm of Joseph Butterworth Co Ltd. However, by 1888 it was
taken over by Charles Whittaker Ltd. In the early 1900's a newer and much larger
four storey mill was built onto the original building. The mill got Grade II
listing status in 1996. However, we learn that as far back as 1610 there was a
fulling mill beside the River Spodden at Spotland Bridge. The place-name
Spotland derives its name from the River Spodden, so we have 'the land around or
next to the River Spodden'. The mill is located at OS grid ref: SD 885138.
Mike Williams and D.A.Farnie in their 1992 book say:
Spotland Bridge New Mill provides a good illustration of mill development
between the early 1830s, the date of the earlier building on the site, and the
early 20th century, when a new mill was added. The original mill, of five
storeys and an attic and of thirteen bays, has typical proportions for a
spinning mill of the early 1830s. It is of non-fireproof construction with
joisted timber floors, supported by two rows of columns, and timber
queen-strut roof trusses. A square fireproof external stair tower is attached
to the north end and a privy tower to the west side. A large external engine
house for a double beam engine and a contemporary boiler house are attached to
the south end. The detached octagonal brick chimney may also be original. A
small office block had been added to the north end by the 1870s.
"The second mill, of four storeys and nine bays, was probably built for
electric power using the mains supply. Materials and construction are typical
of the early 20th century. The walls are of red Accrington brick with large
segmented-headed windows. The floors are of concrete supported by steel beams
and cast-iron columns and the roof is flat. The square plan is unusual,
however, the number of bays being limited by the size of the site."
From the Website British Listed Buildings:
"A cotton spinning mill, now industrial centre. c1833, early C20 extension.
Built for the firm of Joseph Butterworth and Co. Ltd. EXTERIOR: original mill
of five storeys and attic, thirteen bays. Red/brown brick, slate roof, gable
copings. Square fireproof external stair attached to N end, privy tower and
fire escape doors (same size as windows) with cast-iron railed platforms on W
side. Blocking course and corner pilasters. INTERIOR: Two rows of cast-iron
columns, with flat bolting faces for line shafting, support massive timber
cross-beams and joisted timber floors; roof structure of queen-strut trusses
to attic storey lit by roof lights and gable windows. Lower engine house with
paired narrow round-arched windows indicating housing for a double-beam engine
at S end. Attached to this is the low contemporary boiler house, 2-storey
storeroom to rear; tapering octagonal chimney close by. Later additions
include a 2-storey office block with 4-pane sash to right of doorway and a
sash window with margin lights above, added by the 1870s. 4-storey, 9 x 8 bay
added mill to the east: Accrington brick, flat roof, segmental-arched
9-pane..windows. Structure of steel beams with cast iron columns and concrete
floors with sprinkler tower. Powered by mains electricity. Access from the
Edenfield Road is through a gateway with wide wrought-iron gates; the original
cobbled road surface survives, as does the revetment wall of massive stone
slabs on the west side. Also on the site, facing the road junction, is the
mill owner/manager's house: coursed gritstone, stone surrounds to doors and
windows, slate roof, no stacks. Two storeys, Two rooms deep, single-storey
attached outbuilding at rear. Central recessed half-glazed door with
overlight, flanking full-height canted bay windows. Doorway and tall stair
window to left of centre, rear. Low retaining wall to forecourt. HISTORY: the
mill was built for spinning course counts of cotton twist. By 1888 it was
powered 17,424 spindles, when the business was taken over by Chas. Whittaker
Ltd. Listed as a good example of an early C19 non-fireproof mill, which, with
its early C20 addition, shows a typical expansion of the business. (Gurr,
Duncan, and Hunt: The Cotton Mills of Oldham: Oldham. 1989-) .. development
pattern for an early site. The c1833 mill is an example of the increasing
width (18m) of buildings as construction methods improved and larger machines
became available during the middle yea.rs of the century. In this example the
width is spanned by- timber beams for a non-fireproof construction which
remained usual through the mid C19. The roof structure and roof lights
indicate the Use of powered machinery rather than storage on this floor. The
double beam engine had 2 cylinders side-by-side working a single flywheel; in
this mill one line shaft powered each of 2 rows of spinning throstles on the
wide spinning floors, (Williams, 1992). (Williams, M and Farnie, DA: Cotton
Mills in Greater Manchester: 1992-: 74,82,83,89). Listing NGR:
SD8852613831."
Sources of Information:-
Williams, Mike & Farnie, D. A., Cotton Mills In Greater Manchester, Carnegie
Publishing Ltd., 1992.
https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101268046-spotland-bridge-new-mill-spotland-and-falinge-ward
Photo (top) by Chris Allen: https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/7761203
Copyright © RayS57, 2026.
