A nineteenth century mill in Stalybridge has been named among save Britain’s Heritage over 60 new buildings at risk which have been added to its online Buildings at Risk register.
Oakwood Mill on Grenville Street was built in 1856 for the Staley Mill Company as a specialised spinning mill, with its tall chimney stack marking its location in the landscape.
It has had a number of industrial uses since it ceased to be a cotton mill before WWII, but this handsome and monumental mill is now in a terrible condition
Other Entries this year include ruined Cumbrian farmhouses ripe for restoration, a rare surviving Customs Watch House standing sentinel on the quay at Berwick-upon-Tweed, an Art Deco cinema by the sea in Kent and a historic cricket and bowling club on Merseyside which has so far dodged the wrecking ball.
Among the entries are forgotten cottages and barns tucked away up rural lanes, as well as country houses, hotels and pubs. There is also a good selection of neglected churches, town houses, industrial buildings, hospitals, theatres and cinemas
Other buildings, which almost defy categorisation, include a tower built as a folly, a drill hall, gate lodges, a garage cum boat store, a golf club that was once a hospital farm, a market building and a dock structure.
This rich collection of buildings tells us so much about our national history as well as the special local stories that make our towns and villages individual and memorable.
SAVE Britain’s Heritage’s online register already holds around 1,200 buildings from all over the country which are at risk through demolition or dereliction.
“Every year we add new buildings identified by our supporters, conservation officers and other heritage professionals in a bid to publicise the plight of historic treasures which, with a little imagination, could find new life. The register is a powerful tool in bringing buildings which could be repurposed to wider attention and attracts interest from all quarters.” says the organisation.
