IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Callis Road, BOLTON, BL3 5QA

Croal Mill, on Blackshaw Lane (off Wigan Road). The mill, which is viewed here from the playing fields at Haslam Park, was built in 1908 for the Croal Spinning Company Limited and was in use as a cotton mill until it closed in 1967. It is now used as warehouse by a mail order company. The mill was probably named "Croal" because the River Croal is behind it. It was given Grade II listed status in 1996 http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-475924-croal-mill-bolton listing details http://www.ss-osands.org.uk/ssosands/beep/deane/cotton_mills.htm "Cotton Mills in the Deane Area"

A Grade II Listed Edwardian spinning mill built in 1907. Designed by Bradshaw, Gass & Hope. The engine house with three tall round-headed windows housed a 1300 horsepower inverted vertical triple expansion engine by Yates and Thom of Blackburn in 1908. The engine was named Shelagh and had Corliss valve cylinders 21.5, 34 & 55" bores by 4' stroke. It ran at 82 rpm on steam at 160 psi and drove by 36 cotton ropes from the 22' 6" flywheel. The Lumb governor from this engine is in the Birmingham Museums Store and the Shelagh nameplate is at the Bolton Steam Museum.

Described as "a fine example of a medium size Edwardian cotton spinning mill" this was built in 1907 and designed by Bradshaw, Gass & Hope. The big building on the right with three tall windows housed a large inverted vertical triple expansion mill engine by Yates & Thom. Its governor is in the Birmingham Collections Centre and its name plate - "Shelagh" - is in the Bolton Steam Museum.

A Grade II Listed Edwardian spinning mill built in 1907. Designed by Bradshaw, Gass & Hope. The engine house with three tall round-headed windows housed a 1300 horsepower inverted vertical triple expansion engine by Yates and Thom of Blackburn in 1908. The engine was named Shelagh and had Corliss valve cylinders 21.5, 34 & 55" bores by 4' stroke. It ran at 82 rpm on steam at 160 psi and drove by 36 cotton ropes from the 22' 6" flywheel. The Lumb governor from this engine is in the Birmingham Museums Store and the Shelagh nameplate is at the Bolton Steam Museum.

This shows fine detailing on the stair tower. There is a square section column of lavatories in the angle between tower and mill (given away by the external plumbing). The weather chose this moment to turn nasty and bring activities to a close for the day.

Building detail with engine house. The paler material is ceramic (brick/terracotta) despite giving the appearance of being stone.

The eastern end of the mill, with tower, seen from Thornbank. The foreground area was formerly built up with tightly packed terraced housing.

Detail of the tower. The close detail shows that the grey areas are brickwork rather than stone; the decorative elements are also ceramic (terracotta).

The fine sweep of the ancillary buildings down Blackshaw Lane with the tower rising behind.