Industrial History Online

Industrial History Online

Otley Mills

Description and History of Site:-
Large complex of industrial buildings, mainly textile, added to over the years with some early buildings now demolished.
When the mill was advertised to let in 1809 the main four storey building measured 69 feet by 26 feet with in the walls. There were also two more spinning rooms. The water wheel measured 18 ft by 12 ft, but there was another wheel to drive the paper glazing mill and leather dressing mill on the same site.
The mill was later used for spinning worsted yarns. The early history of the site is complicated with several tenants, possibly using different parts of the mill at the same time.
The mill was probably built by Mary Fairbank, a widow from Otley and Joseph Chippendale from Wakefield. An early firm was a partnership between Peter Garforth & Samuel Sidgwick who also had mills in Skipton, Bell Busk and Sedbergh. They bought spindles from Kirkstall Forge in 1787.
By 1795 the mill was occupied by Walker, Maude & Co, but the mill was advertised to let in 1809.
Marshall & Mounsey may have bought part of the mill complex about 1800.
George Foster and Jonathan Cawood may have been tenants about 1811 and used the mill, or part of it, for mule spinning.
From about 1810 the mill was changed over to spin worsted with Thomas Craven as a tenant. Ackroyds were later tenants.


Further Reading and References:-
Ingle G Yorkshire Cotton 1997


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Key Words :- Textile Mill

Viewing the Site :- Possible

Address :- Otley, West Yorkshire
Grid Ref :- SE 194 453
Co-ordinates :- Lat 53.903504 , Long -1.706217
Local Authority :- Leeds Council
Pre 1974 County :- Yorkshire - West Riding
Site Status :- Site extant - Protected status unknown
Site Condition :- Site in alternative industrial use
Site Dates :- 1787 -
Record Date :- 22 April 2018

Copyright :- cc-by-nc-sa 4.0 © George Ingle