West House Mill
was a water-powered flax spinning mill built in 1797. There were two large water
wheels and it was further enlarged in 1806 - 1816 to a
large five-storey mill with
additions such as a warehouse, mill extension, a
supplementary steam engine, a loom
shop, bleach house and air drying rooms. A heated dry house
and a new warehouse and bleachworks were built between
1820 and 1843. Used extensively for flax production from
1797 to 1838 and converted to cotton spinning from 1851
and silk spinning from 1856-1864. Orphan children and Paupers were brought
from (or rather bought in) London to work in the remote
West House Mills. The
orphans were housed in the Apprentice House and the
Pauper families went to the Workhouse on Hardistry Hill
and some were paid in lead trading tokens .. There were
other buildings .. the mill owners' houses and worker's
cottages .. now demolished. Allegedly, 500 boys and girls
worked here.
The water wheels at the mill were powered with
water from the Low Dam higher up Washburn
Valley.
This is the Valve house which controlled
the flow of water.
The
Retting Tank in the Bleaching Field
Scaife Farm - the circular windows were used only in farm stables.
