Description

MANCHESTER

SJ8498, REDHILL STREET, Ancoats,
698-1/17/463, (North West side)

Sedgwick Mill (to west of junction with Murray Street)

20/06/88

GV

II

Cotton spinning and doubling mills, now partially used as
clothing factory. Sedgwick Mill built as cotton spinning mill
1818-20, with Sedgwick New Mill added to the site in 1868
mainly for doubling; both built for McConnell Kennedy.
Sedgwick Mill built by James Lowe. 8 storeys, U-plan with
17-bay range to Redhill Street, and 8-bay wings to N at E and
W ends. These wings linked by a narrow N range of c1820;
warehouse built in yard in 1905. Original entrance in W wing,
in stone voussoir arch, leading to yard, with access to
projecting fire-proof circular staircase at NW angle of main
range. Former engine house (built to house single beam engine)
at W end of main range, separated by cross wall built to house
upright shaft. Round-arched windows of engine house partially
blocked in W wall. Boilers originally housed in W wing. Main
range has slightly advanced central section, and small windows
with flat arched stone heads in each bay. Electric motor and
hoist tower added against inner wall in 1909. Fireproof
internal construction in which cast iron columns support cast
iron beams and transverse brick arches was modified in the
1960's in order to accommodate larger mules: new columns on
new alignments were inserted by William Fairbairn. E and W
wings employ similar construction.
Sedgwick New Mill forms parallel range to N of site, and
adjoins the W wing of Sedgwick Mill. Five storeys, 15 bays with
wide segmentally arched windows in each bay. Cast iron columns
support cast iron beams and transverse brick arches. Site of
probable horizontal steam engine in basement of adjoining
building, the external stair tower at the SW of the site
utilised to house the upright shaft, and chimney (base only
surviving) incorporated in NW corner of mill.
2-storeyed range to W of Sedgwick New Mill built c1888-1898 to
house ancillary processes.

The mills form part of the McConnell Kennedy works, together
with Royal Mill and Paragon Mill (qv). A further Mill (Long
Mill) is no longer extant. McConnell Kennedy werre one of the
largest Manchester cotton firms, amalgamating with the Fine
Cotton Spinners and Doublers Association in 1898.
An early example of fireproof construction in a large-scale
building. Courtyard plan apparently typical of Manchester mill
building. A prototype for mill layout, in which steam powered
mules were positioned transversely, between columns
delineating bays and powered from a single central line shaft
in each storey, with preparatory processes housed on lower
floors.

Listing NGR: SJ8501298540

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26560866

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Suffolk: West: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
• 
  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Drawing up a Local Listed Building Consent Order: Historic England Advice Note 6
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)