IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Antrobus Street, CONGLETON, CW12 1HG

Built in 1878, the Masonic Hall is located on Mill Street. The front entrance is just in front of the white car, near the bottom of the brickwork and just to the right of that car is an Ordnance Survey flush bracket (Image). This was also the site of the original United Reformed Church before it was moved to Antrobus Street (Image).

This mark is set into the brickwork on the front wall of Image For more information on this and other bench marks go to http://www.bench-marks.org.uk/bm20363 .

Located on the corner of Mill Street and Antrobus Street, Bon-O-Phool is an Indian restaurant and take-away. The rear of the Image on Cross Street is visible too.

This lovely building on Cross Street was built in 1883 using stone pink sandstone from Teggs Nose Quarry near Macclesfield. For a picture of the front see Image

The Pentecostal Chapel was built in 1883 using pink sandstone from Teggs Nose Quarry near Macclesfield. Cross Street is very narrow making it difficult to get a shot of the full front. (See also Image).

Looking along Cross Street from its junction with Mill Street, the Image is about halfway along on the right.

Cotton spinning mill that was later a silk throwing and weaving mill. Originally water powered then steam by 1821. Now converted to apartments. Brook Mill was contiguous at the far end but has now been demolished. A shame because it was quite an impressive lump.

Fustian cutting mill built in 1913. Now apartments. Congleton has a rich textile past in silk, cotton and fustian cutting. Although some mills have now gone, others have been converted to apartments or offices. This mill has retained its character despite conversion. These relatively small mills convert quite well but the huge brick spinning mills of Lancashire are another story altogether.

Formerly Brookside Lane, this stream originally provided a power source for the mill. Compare this with Image taken by Andy Potter in 2008 and we can see that nothing has changed. Brookside Mill is named for the stream running alongside it which, along with steam, was originally used for power. It was built in 1835 as one of only three mills producing silk in Congleton during the 19th century; the construction is of brick with five stories and each floor being supported internally by cast iron columns. In 1946 the mill was taken over by the Bossons family who were manufacturers of ceramic figurines and wall plaques, at this time the mill became known as Bossons’ Mill. December 1996 saw Bossons cease trading and the mill closed. Since then there have been some attempts at developing the site with a block of modern apartments to the rear, for some reason these are all standing empty and beginning to look neglected- allegedly the developers ran into problems and the site is on the market. Now known as Silk Mill it is Grade II listed but is looking in a very sorry and, indeed, dangerous state; the brickwork is crumbling and sagging badly.

One of many former mills, either silk or fustian, in Congleton that are undergoing redevelopment. This one looks like it will be apartments.