Meadow Mill

Detail of the central area of this large symmetrical mill during a period of 1980s dereliction

Old newspaper clipping with view of Meadow Mill

Stockport was a major centre of textile manufacture, particularly cotton spinning and hat making from the Industrial Revolution until the 20th century. The cotton and worsted spinners Thomas and James Leigh, who were operating the Beehive and Hope Mills (now replaced by the motorway and Tesco) in Portwood by 1872,[3] constructed Meadow Mill during the 1870s.[4] By 1914, it contained 120,000 spindles.[5] In 1960 the firm of T & J Leigh ceased trading, but a new company continued to spin carpet and worsted yarn until 1969.[3]

On 10 March 1975, the mill was given a Grade II listing by Historic England as a structure of special architectural or historic interest.[6] It was converted into industrial units for multiple businesses, including furniture stores, wood workshops and gyms, but by the 2010s almost half of the giant mill had become unused through lack of demand or because of deteriorating condition. It was sold to the London-based developer William George Homes in 2016 for £2.5 million, and plans drawn up for residential redevelopment, with planning approved by Stockport Council in 2017.[7]

The following year, Majdiah Residence, a company based in Saudi Arabia, bought the mill and began work on the approved conversion and renovation scheme, which includes 213 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, as well as 24,000 sq ft of leisure and commercial space; a further 2,000 sq ft is allocated for restaurant use. Works are due to be completed by May 2021.[2]

Meadow Mill has a front elevation of seven storeys, including the basement, and a width of 41 bays. It is constructed of red brick, with the basement in blue brick below a stone band. The first and second floors are arcaded. The top floor has paired windows with round arched heads and column mullions, with a stone parapet and brick arcaded bracket cornice above. The more ornamental central four bays have stone dressings to the windows, and outer two slightly protrude; lst and 2nd floor arcades have round-headed, stone, carved capitals.[6] The mill's interior structure is cast-iron lengthwise and crosswise beams with brick arches - known as fireproof construction.[5] It is surrounded by a factory chimney to the rear and a single-storey gatehouse. Historic England has called Meadow Mill "a good example of its period".[6]

• List of mills in Stockport