We spent last weekend over in West Yorkshire - I'll tell you more of that later, but on Sunday we spent the day in Halifax. Halifax was once a thriving wool town, but like most northern towns has had to reinvent itself as its industry dwindled. It has however been left with some stunning Georgian and Victorian architecture. It was a beautiful morning and we wandered around taking it all in.
The main reason we called was to have a look around the famous
Piece Hall, but we found it closed and being renovated.
So we decided to drive out to look at the impressive mill complex at
Dean Clough. You know I love a bit of Industrial Architecture and this is a stunning place - the site is absolutely enormous.
It has been completely remodelled to make a work complex with offices, studios, galleries, cafes, a hotel, retail units, bars, a nursery and a theatre - to name a few of it's uses.
I would have loved to have seen it in its hey day with 5000 workers bustling in their clogs and horses and carts clattering along.
I was disappointed that they don't seem to have kept a small area as a museum and there aren't any references to it's heritage or past. I think that is a huge shame.
I used to love a weighbridge when I was young!
,
It had a fairly decent gallery with some wonderful installations dedicated to World War I . They had a great photography exhibitions on too.
They are also building a replica Lego model of the whole mill, which is incredible.
I can't imagine the output these mills would have produced. It must have been immense! It's easy to see why Halifax was such a wealthy town back in the 1800's.
The mills ceased production in the 1980's.
10 comments:
Lovely pictures of such a fabulous city. You seemed to have seen all my favourite bits. Next time look out for Akroyden and the museum there in the home of the Akroyds who were mill owners who built the village for their workers. Did you see the market hall? I'm always a sucker for Victorian markets.
Fantastic pictures can't believe the size of that mill just wonderful.
Rosezeeta.
Goodness me that mill building is immense! It must have been so noisy there will all the machinery, all those people working behind those windows!
Shame there isn't any reference to it's previous history but good news it's been given a new lease of life.
Lisa x
What a super place Dean Clough looks but I agree it is a shame they haven't done any displays about its working past. It is such a huge place I can imagine the noise and activity - almost like a small town in one place. I was taken with the blue, blue skies in your photos - glad you had a wonderful weekend:)
My art teacher has an exhibition in that gallery later this year.
Is that a heritage/art addition with the words on the weighbridge?
The size of those mills is incredible! Love the elephants on the art deco Burton's building! x
I've never been to Halifax. Goodness me, Dean Clough is a huge place, it must have been a very impressive (and noisy) place when it was a mill in full production. xxx
All my extended family live just over the moors in the Littleborough/Milnrow area. I used to visit the Piece Hall regularly on days out. It will be lovely to see it when it has been restored again. Jx
I love how even industrial buildings are beautiful in the UK. Maybe it was the blue sky and sunlight, but all of your pictures made me want to visit Halifax next time I am in the UK. Thanks for sharing!
www.queenbcreativeme.blogspot.com
You found bits of Halifax I didn't know existed Diane....and I only live down the road from it! xxx
Post a Comment