The Mill

The Mill is a factory building that was originally constructed as a cotton mill between 1790 and 1793, with later extensions added in 1814 and 1890 for John Ferguson, Peter Dixon, and William Waddell, as indicated by the dates and initials on stones high up on the wall of the spinning mill. The structure features squared red sandstone rubble walls and a slate roof, along with a slated wooden bellcote. It consists of three storeys plus an attic, with the original mill having nine bays, while the spinning mill has four storeys plus an attic and eleven bays. This straightforward factory building, typical of the Industrial Revolution, was initially powered by water.

The windows have plain surrounds and feature 19th-century cast iron frames with glazing bars. In the spinning mill, two windows were altered to create loading bays, and the end bay is covered by a four-storey projecting lift shaft. An arch under the spinning mill provides water access to the original wheel position. The mill was converted to steam power in 1832, and its walls are secured by plates and ties. A bell remains in the bellcote, topped by a weather vane marked with the initial "F" for Ferguson and the year 1791. Inside, there are cast-iron columns between the floors.

Although completed in 1791, the mill was severely damaged by fire on August 8, 1793, and had to be rebuilt. It ceased production in 1883 and was reopened as a woollen mill, renamed Otterburn Mill in 1888, operating until the late 1970s when it was sold and divided into separate units. At its peak, the mill employed nearly 300 people. For further details, refer to D.J.W. Mawson's article on Langthwaite Cotton Mill in the Transactions of the Cumberland & Westmorland Antiquarian & Archaeological Society. The listing does not include nearby factory buildings, except for High Buildings, which were originally workers' cottages and are included for group value context.