Her Majesty The Queen Visits Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings
Her Majesty The Queen visited Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings today as part of a wider visit to Shrewsbury.
The Queen toured the cafe, shop area and ‘The Mill’ exhibition and heard more about the site’s extensive regeneration, including all the work involved in opening its doors to the public in 2022.
Her visit was marked by the unveiling of a plaque in the Kiln area of the site, which will be seen by all visitors who come to the Flaxmill.
We were delighted to welcome Her Majesty The Queen to Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings today. We were very proud to share with Her Majesty why this pioneering iron-framed building is admired around the world as the forerunner to the modern skyscraper.
We are grateful to the Lord-Lieutenant, Anna Turner, for supporting the ambitious Flaxmill heritage project, allowing us to be part of this special day and act as host venue for several local charities, including local foodbanks, refugee organisations, faith groups and climate change charities.
The Flaxmill is very special to us, as well as to the people of Shrewsbury, and we were happy to host nearly 200 people at the site today.
About Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings
Following a £28 million restoration project by Historic England, the 226-year-old Main Mill at Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings has been reborn, providing a combination of both a learning space for the public and flexible office space.
Known as the ‘grandparent of skyscrapers’ with its pioneering iron frame, the Main Mill opened in 1797 as a purpose-built flax mill. Since then, the site has grown and been repurposed many times. It was a maltings from 1897 to 1987 and became a temporary army barracks during the Second World War.
The Grade I listed Main Mill and the Grade II listed Kiln (added during the conversion to a maltings) are now restored and the Main Mill is open for the first time as a visitor destination.
An exhibition called 'The Mill' tells the story of the Flaxmill Maltings and its crucial role in the Industrial Revolution. The revitalized building, which also includes a Shop and Café, now gives visitors the chance to learn more and celebrate its past.
£20.7 million of funding for the restoration of the Main Mill and Kiln has come from National Lottery players through The National Lottery Heritage Fund. The remaining funding for the restoration of the site has come from Historic England, Shropshire Council, philanthropic donations, and additional funding from the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership via its Growth Deal with Government.
