Beehive Mill

Details

MANCHESTER

SJ8498, JERSEY STREET, Ancoats,
698-1/17/451, (South side)

Beehive Mill

11/11/88

GV

II*

Cotton spinning mill, built as a room and power mill. Early
1820's in three major building phases, with some later additions.
Brick externally, with cast-iron and timber internal
construction. Earliest buildings on the site comprise L-shaped
block of six storeys with 13-bay range to Radium Street, and
3-bay wing to Jersey Street. 5-storeyed, 13-bay mill added on
Bengal Street c1848. Original building has small cambered
headed window in each bay (with six in gable returns). Attic lit
by three windows to N, and by segmental window to S. Timber and
cast iron internal construction, with cast-iron columns
supporting transverse timber beams with heavy floorboards (and
no joists). Curved cast-iron roof ribs support timber
principle rafters in attic storey which was also originally
powered. Internal beam engine house towards N of building with
cross wall originally containing upright shaft creating
segregated area to N. Original circular staircase was also
located on this axis, enclosing chimney (now demolished).
Taking-in doors on each floor in this end section. Range to
Jersey Street dated 1824, and probably built for warehousing.
Three bays, with central segmentally arched entrance to yard, and
small windows with cambered heads in each bay. Double
taking-in doors on each floor originally (now altered).
Internal construction comprises cast-iron columns supporting
grid of T-section cast-iron beams carrying stone flagged
floors. Cast-iron trusses with wrought-iron ties to roof
structure. Adjacent block to Bengal Street was added in 1848,
and partly rebuilt following a fire in 1861. Four storeys, 13
bays. In the rear elevation, the bays are separated by narrow
full-height pilaster-like towers, possibly associated with a
heating or ventilation system originally.

Warehouse range is important example of early fire-proof
construction, an advanced type of construction for its date,
which demonstrates an understanding of the different
properties of cast and wrought iron. Original building is also
a good example of a once common type of early C19
construction, in which timber floors are constructed without
joists a method which provided a strong structure with
slow-burning properties. This method enabled heavy weights to
be carried on upper floors, and together with the design of
roof adopted in this mill, was appropriate in a room and power
mill in which different firms would use different floors.
Early use of bolting faces for line shafting cast into cast
iron beams is also notable. In plan, L-shaped range type with
internal engine house forming segregated area.

(Williams M: Cotton Mills in Greater Manchester: London:
1992-: 151-153).


Listing NGR: SJ8509798719

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

388211

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Williams, , Farnie, , Cotton Mills in Greater Manchester, (1993), 151-153

End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.