Burley Mills Main Range

Burley Mills: main range

The main range of a worsted fulling, carding and scribbling mill built in 1799 by James Graham for the firm of Wormald, Gott and Wormald. It was altered in 1822 following its occupation by Thomas Stansfield and Co, and restored in 1918 after fire damage.

The building is constructed of coursed squared gritstone with dressed stone to door surrounds and quoins featuring light herring-bone tooling. Roofs are of grey slate and asbestos, and there is an ashlar bridge with brick and concrete parapet.

The range comprises a three-storey, 15-window block spanning the millrace, with the access road along the east side carried on a bridge of two wide and one narrow arch over the mill goit. Attached to the south-west side is a one-and-a-half-storey square-plan small annexe, and on the west side of this is a two-storey, four-window former engine house.

The north gable end of the three-storey block features central double doors, cased on the outside with the original inside face visible, with voussoirs to a wedge lintel and large quoins. Above are three loading doorways, the top one having a solid lintel. Flanking tall windows in stone surrounds with six-pane frames are present, and there is a corner chimney to the left. The south gable has four windows and a doorway with tie-stone jambs at the far right. The left and right returns contain large windows, mostly with 16-pane frames; the central top two panes are hinged. Surrounds feature tie-stone jambs and projecting sills. Stone gutter brackets, gable copings, roof lights and ridge ventilators are present, with water tanks at the north-west and south-east corners.

The south façade of the annexe has a central doorway with overlight flanked by large blocked windows and a narrow probably inserted window above, with gable coping. The south façade of the engine house retains four tall round-arched openings with well-cut voussoirs, although these are now obscured by a twentieth-century lean-to. A stub of stack remains at the north end of the left return.

Internally, the three-storey block contains original stone stairs to the right of the entrance and plank doors with strap hinges at the north doorway. Brick window reveals and cast-iron columns and girders support the floors. The twentieth-century roof structure comprises closely spaced queen posts with splayed braces and collars. Fire damage is visible in the former engine house.

The main range forms part of an important mill group that also includes the spinning shop, weaving sheds and drying house. The entrance range and cottages have been demolished in the mid-twentieth century. The mill race weir and sluices to the north-west are also part of this complex.

Historically, the partners Wormald and Gott built the first woollen mill in Leeds at Bean Ing from 1792, which has been demolished. The Burley (or Dobbie) mills were begun in 1799 for processing long-fibred worsted wool from East Anglia into blankets. Benjamin Gott's business subsequently moved to Armley Mills. By 1822 Burley was occupied by Thomas Stansfield and Co, worsted manufacturers and stuff merchants. By 1867 the mill was also used by a firm of flax spinners, and from 1897 the buildings were divided between several industries including a currier. The main range was damaged by fire in 1918, and the roof probably dates from that restoration period.