Cellars Clough Mill

Cellars Clough mill was built in 1841 and advertised as a newly built fireproof mill to be sold or let. It was built on the north bank of the River Colne at Lingards.

The 1854 O.S. map described it as a cotton mill. On Thursday, 25th September 1858 thieves broke into the mill counting house but were thwarted to find only books in the safe. The mill owner, Sam Dowse, made it his routine to only draw cash on Friday mornings in order to pay his workers. The mill was obviously flourishing as a new five storey fireproof mill was erected in 1871 adjacent to the original mill building.

The Marsden flood of 1872 resulted in the bridge which connected the mill owner’s house to the mill complex being swept away with the flood water reaching 3 feet in the mill yard, office and the new mill fronting the river. The extent of the efficiency of the fireproofing was tested in 1885 when a serious fire broke out in the ‘fourth room’ thought to have been caused by an overheated jenny. In fact little damage was caused to the fabric of the building but £2,000 was incurred by the loss of machinery and cloth. Later in the year the mill and cotton spinning machinery, mule spindles, twiner spindles, doubling frame spindles and the 33 acre estate were put up for sale. The advertisement in the Huddersfield Examiner advertised the details of the sale,

' Sale of 2 capital stone built mills (mostly fireproof), one 5 storey 208 x 44 feet and 60 feet wide, the other 5 storeys 120 x 45, yarn cellar, warehouse, well lighted shed and 5 storey doubling mill 70 x 30 feet, smiths, mechanics shops, gas works, Galloway boiler, pair of beam engines, waterwheel, also family residence, quarry and sheep and beast gates'

The mill was bought by Henry Firth for £6,090 and was changed to woollen cloth production. Henry Firth was clearly an upstanding individual. In 1899 he gave the workers an extra half hour for dinner to allow him, as a member of the Temperance League, to inform them of the evils of drink. Workers were regularly given treats such as the 2nd annual tea party and ball held in 1890.

The 1899 Trade Directory described the mill as producing fancy worsted coatings and woollen with 7,000 spindles and 100 looms. They had recently bought some looms from the Crowthers. In 1951 the Colne Valley’s largest water wheel weighing 30 tons, measuring 30 in diameter and reaching 28 feet tall was removed to be replaced by turbine running a generator.

Business continued but experienced the same fluctuations in trade as all other textile firms did. It closed in 1982 and fell into disrepair. Part of the chimney was demolished in 2014. In 2007 plans were submitted to Kirklees Council for the redevelopment of the mill site. The scheme was for 101 houses, a gym and swimming pool, shop, meeting room and a bike store. Unfortunately, although planning permission was granted, there were bats found to be living in the ruins and, hence, they were protected from interference by building work.

As of 2017 plans are still being considered but the site has been cleared. The buildings south of the river remain and have been converted into a restaurant, swimming pool and tourist accommodation. The original house also remains and is occupied.

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