The Colonnade

The 12 columns and the concrete floor are all that remain of the doubling and twisting departments and weaving sheds that once stood in what is now the weaver’s yard.
You can see the original floor levels of the concrete floor and the gravel sunken car park was actually a reservoir on top of which stood the wet scouring and dying department and the tarmac hill that leads down to the road was a large finishing department where the cloth was dried and pressed before going to the warehouse, which is now the art gallery. The design and shape of these buildings were very specific to the function that they served and we were unable to reuse them, so they were demolished in 2020. They revealed for the 1st time in hundreds of years buildings that had been hidden and inaccessible, for example the old woollen which is now a vibrant cultural events space. The weavers’s lawn, once home to hundreds of clattering looms is now a peaceful place to meet, and, an integral part bringing the mills back to life.