Wigan Mill

Lancashire was famous for its mills. Now, the very few that haven't been demolished are either rotting or have been converted into fancy apartments. Rylands Mill is one of the unlucky decaying mills.

History - In 1819, Rylands & Sons were established in Wigan, manufacturing ginghams, calicoes and linens. The company quickly grew and by 1823 had opened a warehouse in Manchester, which was followed by a dye and bleaching works in Wigan. Valuable seams of coal were afterwards discovered under these properties, which proved a great source of wealth to the Rylands family.

                                 Old photographs from http://www.wiganworld.co.uk/



From 1847, John Rylands became the sole proprietor of the company after the death of his father and retirement of his brothers. Rylands Mill was built in 1866 and by 1873 the company had become the largest textile manufacturing concern in Britain. Rylands Mill was an important employer for the local population until the demise of the textile industry took its toll nationwide. When the mill closed, it was taken over by a mail order company. In 1985 it became an annexe to Wigan Technical College and was known as the Pagefield Building until its closure in 2007.  Its biggest claim to fame was the fact that the mill was the most expensive around at the time it was built.

The mill is predictably thoroughly trashed. It has a rather fabulous chimney.

There is plenty of evidence of the building's time as a college building. This part of the building must have been quite a feature before it was trashed and set on fire.

Inside the building are the usual supporting columns, debris and peeling paint.

It's quite a large site. Lots of evidence of fire damage in many areas. Pretty much roof-less in many places.

I do like a bit of peeling paint! There's plenty of it here.

I wonder what the future holds for Rylands Mill?

I think this graffiti sums it all up in one word . . . I'm not hopeful that any of it will survive. I do hope that at the very least the wonderful chimney is preserved for posterity. Our proud British heritage and history that developers and councils seem to care nothing for. Sad . . .

Victorian school

This Victorian junior school closed its gates for the final time on August 7th 1995. I'm not sure of its opening date, as information is difficult to come by, but it is mentioned in the 1881 directory and the church of the same name was opened in the 1870s.

As we were preparing to access the grounds, we ran into a couple of fellow explorers who were just leaving. They kindly gave us tips on how to access the building through a rather small hole in the brickwork (or maybe we are just not very athletic?) It was worth the effort - and, P.E. session over, we had a look round the small school building.

The main hall had a lovely church-like large window, letting in plenty of light (a little too much in the case of trying to get decent photographs of it!) The flooring was up in places and there was a distinct smell of the after effects of a small fire that some previous morons had started. There was a stage at the opposite end to the huge window but little in the way of furniture left - 3 old cupboards, a trundle, a P.E. horse and a trashed organ. It was "peeling paint" heaven!

As always, there was the old, broken chair. The place reminded me of my own infants school. I could almost smell the third of a pint bottles of milk, warming by the radiator!

               In the corner of the main hall was a door leading to the only corridor.

Down this corridor, there were three classrooms. On the right was an old fireplace, painted yellow.
The cloakrooms and toilets were truly trashed. The headteacher's office was quite bland and empty.

The flooring was a little dodgy in places but many of the desks and chairs remained. Sadly, not Victorian but 1980s plastic and metal. However, I was pleased to find the old-fashioned rolling style blackboards from my own childhood. We used to hide a board rubber on the top of the rolling section, so when the teacher pulled the board down, to find space to write, it would fly out and hopefully (but sadly rarely, hit the teacher!)

After viewing the three classrooms and what appeared to have been a staff-room/ computer room,

we headed back down the corridor.

Back into the main hall. The roof is just starting to go, which is the real start of a rapid decline. Shame, this building could have been a fantastic conversion 10 years ago. Back through the hole with no detention or homework! This school's out forever . . . !

                                           Last one out, don't forget to turn off the lights!