Cross Street Mills

LEEK

SJ9856SE CROSS STREET 611-1/7/52 (East side) Cross Street Mills

GV II

Silk mill, now offices. c1850-1860 and c1900. Brick with slate roofs, blue brick and stone dressings. 3 distinct blocks, all built to similar Free Classical style with Venetian polychromatic detail, but representing different phases of expansion on the site. EXTERIOR: central block a 3-storeyed 6-window range with stilted arched lower windows and round-arched upper windows. To its right, an advanced 3-storeyed 3-window range with balustraded parapet and steep Welsh slate roof to rear. This is possibly the earliest building on the site, c1850-60. Left-hand block (on corner with Well Street) probably the latest addition of c1900. 2 storeys, a 7-window range to Cross Street and curved angle to Well Street, the corner-bay stressed by giant pilasters. This corner-bay has triple window to ground floor and pedimented Venetian window above, with cartouche over flanked by coupled pilasters and inscribed 'Brough Nicholson and Hall est. 1815'. 7-window range has stilted arches to lower windows (the central window possibly formerly a doorway) and round-arched windows to first floor. Cill band below upper windows and cornice band above. The bays are articulated by brick pilasters with rusticated stone architraves. Stepped profile to parapet above. Decorative bands of blue brick and chequerwork brick. 10-window return range to Well Street with doorways in bays 3 and 7. Similar giant angle pilasters at corner, and similar openings (with some minor alterations). INTERIOR: partially fireproofed, with cast-iron columns but timber beams. The buildings are all that survive of the silk mills of Brough Nicholson and Hall, a noted local manufacturing firm.

Listing NGR: SJ9889856465