IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Blackburn Road, BOLTON, BL1 7QP

Another view of this mill also known as Sir John Holden's Mill and the last cotton spinning mill to be built in Bolton. The trees obscure the lower levels and the new penthouses are perhaps a little obtrusive. As stated before, this mill used grid electricity and it never possessed a typical mill chimney, although I've noticed a little brick stack in front of the water tower that might have serviced a central heating boiler.

Former cotton mill on the A666 between Astley Bridge and Eagley. Now the home of Littlewoods PLC.

Originally Holden Mill, built in 1926 for Sir John Holden & Son Ltd., the building has now been converted into apartments.

Also known as "Sir John Holden's Mill". Built 1925-26 by Sir John Holden & Sons Ltd. 125,000 mule spindles and 31,000 ring spindles. Closed as a cotton mill in 1965 and was later used by Littlewoods. It is now being converted to apartments. The security man in the green car let me get a little closer. This was the last cotton mill in Bolton and has not lost its chimney because it never had one. From day one this was electrically powered with imported electricity. Some mills had their own power houses but such was the confidence in the reliability and economy of the public supply that this mill was always on the public supply. Despite its lateness there is good detailing and a nice copper clad water tower.

Built by Sir John Holden in 1925/26, the premises were later occupied by a mail order company and are now converted into apartments.

The west facade. The 'windows' are largely unglazed screens to apartment balconies.

I think I missed some promising open land to one side but the light would have been wrong. This dreadful shot (over the fence with camera held above head blind) shows extensive scaffolding. Nice detailing is visible, especially at high level. The two storey block on the right is full length and was a normal feature of the big spinning mills as this was the preparation section (opening, blowing, carding etc)

Courtyard at the northern end of the building.

The water tower at the north west corner of the building.

When I was a lad back in the 1950s, this house, at 733, Blackburn Road, was called the smallpox house and the story was that a resident of the house had contracted the disease and so all residents were quarantined within. Despite researching the story I have not been able to verify the truth of the legend. The house is Grade 2 listed.