Kirk Mill and its associated mill ponds retaining walls, outflow and stone-built leat

Kirk Mill and its associated mill ponds retaining walls, outflow and stone-built leat

Kirk Mill is a former cotton spinning mill dating from 1785 with later additions, together with its associated water management system. The mill is built largely of coursed stone with stone dressings, beneath roofs of slate and corrugated sheeting. The water management features are also built largely of coursed stone.

The mill is linear in plan with projections to the north and south. The south face has a central range of ten bays flanked by projecting wings of two bays at either end. The western wing is largely obscured on all but its upper storey by later buildings and lean-to roofs, while the eastern wing is built of stone at ground and first-floor level but brick above. A later rendered brick-built flat-roofed extension rising to just above eaves height has been added to the front of the building between the sixth and eighth bays. Two modern roller shutter doors have been inserted at ground-floor level, with a modern canopy projecting forward at first-floor level to the right of the wider door. Windows throughout have glazing bars with dressed stone surrounds to the central range and west wing, and dressed lintels and sills to the east wing.

The west face has two doors and windows with glazing bars and dressed stone surrounds to all floors. The rear elevation is complex, with six bays to the west end, the end two bays forming the rear of the west wing. A two-storey gabled staircase range topped by a tall former belfry and an attached lower two-storey range forms the centre of the rear, with a two-storey range at the east end completing it. Windows and surrounds largely match those on the front and west elevations. The east face comprises two gables, each of two storeys, which due to the slope form the second and third floors of the mill building. The left gable is of two bays forming the east face of the south-projecting east wing. The right gable has been extended north and has a door beneath the gable's apex above which is an upper floor warehouse door. Above this is a blocked warehouse-type opening to a former attic level. Windows and surrounds are consistent with those elsewhere. The pitched roofs have lights to the former attic.

To the rear of the mill is a large mill pond contained within a sandstone retaining wall. A stone-built outlet at the north end of the pond empties into an adjacent stream. A short sandstone bridge or leat formerly connected the pond to the mill, carrying water to power the waterwheel. Used water left the mill via an underground tailrace to empty into Chipping Brook downstream from the mill.

Interior access is via the east door from the adjacent road, leading into a vestibule at first-floor level, from which storerooms and a timber staircase connecting the first and second floors are accessed. A narrow passageway passes the enclosed wheelpit, waterwheel and driving gears. The waterwheel has timber spokes of pitch pine and was breastshot, with water entering at a high level. The passageway leads into the mill's wooden-floored first floor, now occupied by chairmaking machinery. Iron and timber posts support timber ceiling beams, some displaying drive beam slots relating to the former powering of the cotton spinning machines. A wooden staircase near the north-west corner gives access to the ground and second floors, while a spiral stone staircase off the rear wall gives access to the second floor.

The ground floor has a concrete floor and retains some chairmaking machinery, with modern steel ceiling beams and supporting posts having been inserted. The second floor has timber flooring with iron and timber posts supporting timber ceiling beams. The south-east corner has latterly been used as a staff kitchen, with the remainder recently serving as a showroom. Although ceiling beams remain in situ, the floor of the former attic level has been removed, leaving the second floor open to the pitched roof. The stone spiral staircase leads upward to a storeroom and a door formerly giving access to the attic level.