Listed Building record MDO12049 - Ropewalk, North Mills, North Mills Road, Bridport

Large brick covered ropewalk of late-19th century date forming part of the former North Mills twine, netting and sailcloth works. This is the largest surviving covered walk in Bridport.

North Mills was established in the early 19th century as a large water- and steam-powered complex on the site of a corn mill. It was occupied by William Hounsell and Co. and used for twine, netting and sailcloth manufacture and continued in use until 1982. <1-3>

The surviving covered ropewalk building is probably late 19th century in date and is the largest surviving covered walk in Bridport. It is a single storey building of brick construction with red brick buttresses and a broad-gabled roof . The walls were originally open to provide ventilation, the openings between the buttresses have been blocked by tarred weatherboarding. It has 29 ranges of industrial windows with vertical glazing bars. <6>

<1> Williams, M, 2006, Bridport and West Bay. The buildings of the flax and hemp industry, 23, 29 (Monograph). SDO10498.

<2> Jones, B V and Williams, M, 2002, Bridport: An Assessment of Townscape & Buildings, 59 (Unpublished document). SDO10497.

<3> Sims, R, 2006, The Rope, Net and Twine Industry of Bridport. 2) Factory Mills (Monograph). SDO10541.

<4> Historic England, Historic England Archive, 2K/04722 (Index). SDO14738.

NORTH MILLS

<5> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BF111624 (Index). SDO14738.

Bridport Project

<6> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1511240 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Dec 21 2022 3:56PM