| Summary : Primet Mill is a steam-powered cotton-weaving mill of multi-phase construction, built of coursed and random stone rubble on the south bank of Colne Water. In 1854 the mill was occupied by Thomas Mason whose firm of cotton manufacturers, Thomas Mason Ltd, remained in occupancy until at least 1963. A cotton mill by the name of Primet Mill occupied the site as early as 1844 but it is unclear whether this was incorporated into the building of the present mill as much of the site has been cleared. The first identifiable phase of the present mill, built between 1844 and 1891, consists of a gabled multi-storey office, warehouse and yarn preparation block, positioned end- on to Burnley road on the east side of the site, with a tall engine house, boiler house and chimney attached to the north and a weaving shed, roughly L-shaped in plan, to the west. Between 1891 and 1910 extensions were built onto the north-west and south- east sides of the western arm of the weaving shed forming a continuous front to Holker Street. The earlier central station of this range is notable for the detailing to its internal structure which includes cast-iron columns with composite capitals and pierced guilloche decoration to the I-section bridging beams. The chimney and part of the weaving shed have been demolished and in 1998 the site was in use as a business park. |
More information : Primet Mill is a steam-powered cotton-weaving mill of multi-phase construction, built of coursed and random stone rubble on the south bank of Colne Water. It was partly built in 1851on behalf of the Mason family, in whose hands it remained for at least 140 years, but it also incorporated earlier buildings on the site, some dating to about 1820. Primet Mill (Cotton) is named on the 1848 Ordnance Survey first edition 1:10,560 map by Colne Water near Primet Bridge. The Mason family of Gargrave had established themselves at Gargrave and Linton before Joseph Mason Snr's son, Thomas, went into partnership with Edmondson Varley in 1851 and Primet Mill, Colne was established. Thomas' brother, Joseph Jnr, also moved to Colne, occupied an adjacent, existing cotton mill at Primet Bridge which had a capacity of 300 looms, and formed the company Joseph Mason and Brothers. The 1854 Mannex directory lists a 'Mason-, Primet bridge' as a cotton manufacturer. The mill was producing cotton and worsted materials until 1865, when the specialisation changed, and by the late 1870s only cotton goods were manufactured on 626 looms and the company's name was changed to Thomas Mason and Company. In 1884 a weaving shed with a capacity of 438 looms, and a new steam engine were added. The company also ran business in Netherfield Mill, Nelson and Marsden Mill. Primet Mill named on the Ordnance Survey first edition 1:2500 map of 1893. The company changed hands after Thomas Mason's death in 1890 and his son, Joseph, took over. He erected a new warp-dressing shed between Holker Street and Burnley Road in 1893 and by 1894 the company, now Thomas Mason Ltd, ran an additional 200 looms, some of them being check-weaving circular-box looms, an innovation of the time; the total capacity of both sheds being 1000 looms. Joseph Mason died in 1935, but the company Thomas Mason Ltd continued. The looms were fully automatic by 1969 and no steam engines were in use. Harwood Cash incorporated Thomas Mason Ltd in 1972, to be followed by the Courtaulds Group of Companies a year later. The company was still weaving throughout the 1980s, but Coutaulds closed the mill in 1991.
The buildings were partly demolished in 1994 and the remaining buildings formed part of the Primet Business Centre and are in multiple occupation. The mill consisted of a gabled multi-storey office, warehouse and yarn preparation block, positioned end-on to Burnley Road on the east side of the site, with a tall engine house, boiler house and chimney attached to the north and a weaving shed, roughly L- shaped in plan, to the west. Between 1891 and 1910 extensions were built onto the north- west and south-east sides of the western arm of the weaving shed forming a continuous front to Holker Street. The earlier central section of this range is notable for the detailing to its internal structure which includes cast-iron columns with composite capitals and pierced guilloche decoration to the weaving shed. Condition: Occupied. (1) |