Sedgwick Mill (To West Of Junction With Murray Street)

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