Crofthead Mill, Lochlibo Road, Neilston

Very large cotton spinning and thread-twisting mills set into hillside. Founded 1792, oldest mill dated 1858, large extension on Oldham models 1880-1. Whitewashed brick buildings with segmental arched heads to windows, corbel tables and blocking courses.

West Mill: 5-storey, 8-by 19-bay mill. Off-centre oval stair tower dated 1858 (R J & F Alexander's Glasgow Mill has a similar stair). Some sills of 3rd floor windows lowered. Later lavatory, rest and stair towers added to S elevation. Low multi-ridged roof concealed behind parapet. 6-pane glazing patterns to windows.

No 1 Mill: 6-storey (top floor said to be a last minute addition) 8-by 15-bay mill. Dentil cornice at 4th and 5th floors. Rectangular-section 3-bay stair and water tower to centre of W elevation. Top stage with round headed windows, corbelled balustrade and wrought-iron angle finials. French pavilion roof removed circa 1970. Multi-ridged shallow slate roofs to mill. 9-and 120-pane glazing patterns to windows.

Engine house projects at SW, 2-by 4-bay with 2 tiers of round-headed windows, those at ground altered on insertion of mezzanine. Rope race (with 2 tiers of dentil cornices and pedestrian bridge to site of Pirn Mill)links engine house to mill and square-section hoist tower. Piended slate roof with ridge ventilator. Pend underneath link from engine house to West Mill.

To N: lower 4-by 1-bay block adjoins N elevations of No 1 mill, perhaps also a rope race. Brick gable indicates site of further engine or turbine house. Single-storey and basement 3-bay link (with later gable) to: 3-storey and basement 11-by 6-bay block with tall ground floor, gable dated 1881. 3 piended slate roofs. Loading bay, perhaps originally a boiler house; 6-bay arcaded W elevation. Piended sheet-metal-clad roof. Impressive group of lades and ponds uphill to S, partly 18th-19th century, partly remodelled in concrete circa 1928. High curved squared-rubble coped boundary walls to road which crosses water systems by a rubble-built bridge. Brick-built gatepiers at main road with curved single-storey lodge, circa 1950, windows blocked.

Interior: No 1 Mill fireproof with single brick arches between cast-iron columns and beams. Remainder not seen.