Leigh Spinners Mill was one of the largest Cotton spinning mills built in Britain. According to the Leigh Building Preservation Trust- 'With its neo-Baroque influenced architecture, staircased towers and engine houses it is one of the most complete mills still intact in Greater Manchester'.
The Grade II* listed mill was built by local entrepreneurs John Horrocks and Edward Crowther. The east section comprising the six-storey mill, boiler house and chimney stack, was constructed in 1913 and the matching western section, containing Mill 2, was completed in 1925.
The Leigh Building Preservation Trust Ltd was formed in 2013 to restore the historic Yates & Thom cross compound mill steam engines and engine house. By January 2019, the Trust had raised sufficient funds to undertake extensive roof repairs and further works have since been undertaken to the eastern, western and northern sides where extensions have been erected to create new business space.
The Preservation Trust has secured leases on the mills and as well as a public Heritage Centre featuring the renovated steam engines, tenants within the mill also include a Cinema, Computer Museum, Gym, Café, Archery Centre, Boxing Club, Music Studio and Logistics company. The manufacture of carpet and artificial turf also still occurs in part of the mill complex.
Yates & Thom Twin Horizontal Cross Compound engine
