Listed Building record MWX198 - Priory Mills, Priory Lane, Bridport

Priory Mills has the best-preserved mid-19th century textile mill buildings in Bridport. It was built as a steam-powered flax-spinning mill in 1837-9 for Stephen Whetham and Sons. In 1851 the first power looms in Bridport were installed in the weaving shop. In the 1860s Priory Mills was expanded with the addition of powered weaving and net-braiding machinery, to form a fully-integrated factory, which carried out all stages of the manufacture of twine, netting and sailcloth from raw flax and hemp. The main stone-built buildings on the site are a three-storeyed mill of eight bays and a parallel three-storeyed ancillary building of seven bays. The two buildings are linked by a later north-light shed of three bays to the north. A mid-19th century house stands on the northern boundary of the site and may have been built to accommodate the site manager. Large areas of drying grounds existed to the south of the Mills in the late 19th century.

Priory Mills was built as a steam-powered flax-spinning mill in 1837-9 for Stephen Whetham and Sons. In 1851 the first power looms in Bridport were installed in the weaving shop. In the 1860s Priory Mills was expanded with the addition of powered weaving and net-braiding machinery, to form a fully-integrated factory, which carried out all stages of the manufacture of twine, netting and sailcloth from raw flax and hemp. (1) (2) An insurance valuation of 1911 lists the plant at this time, including an overhead beam engine of 82 hp which drove, via line shafting, machinery for boiling, heckling, carding, drawing, roving and spinning flax and tow, together with machinery for cabling, twisting and polishing; seventeen canvas looms; calenders; a gas-bleaching plant; and net-braiding machines (3). In 1920, the factory was sold to Joseph Gundry and Co., then sold on to William Edwards and finally Northover and Gilbert (4).

Priory Mills has the best-preserved mid-19th century textile mill buildings in Bridport. The mill has similarities with textile mills in other regions, in terms of its external proportions, power system and internal construction. The main stone-built buildings on the site are a three-storeyed mill of eight bays and a parallel three-storeyed ancillary building of seven bays. The mill has an internal beam-engine house in the north bay and an attached external boiler house. It is dated 1838 on the north end. The ancillary building may have originally been a workshop or warehouse and later steam-powered shafting was inserted into the ground floor. The two buildings are linked by a later north-light shed of three bays to the north. A mid-19th century house stands on the northern boundary of the site and may have been built to accommodate the site manager. A detached single-storied gabled building at the site entrance to south was probably built in the late 19th century. (1) (2).

The 1888 Ordnance Survey map labels the site as “Priory Mills (Rope, Canvas & Fishing Nets)”. It shows large areas of drying grounds to the south of the factory. (5)

<1> Williams, M, 2006, Bridport and West Bay. The buildings of the flax and hemp industry, 29-30 (Monograph). SDO10498.

<2> Jones, B V and Williams, M, 2002, Bridport: An Assessment of Townscape & Buildings, 57-8 (Unpublished document). SDO10497.

<3> Bone, M R, 1985, 'The Bridport Flax and Hemp Industry' Bristol Industrial Archaeological Society Journal, 25 (Article in serial). SWX1452.

<4> Sims, R, 2006, The Rope, Net and Twine Industry of Bridport. 2) Factory Mills (Monograph). SDO10541.

<5> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, Externally held archive: RCH01/063 South West Textile Mills Project, 2K/07190 (Unpublished document). SDO17323.

COPIES OF IMAGES HELD AT THE MUSEUM OF NET MANUFACTURE. Photographic reproductions 17 June 2004 of images held at Museum of Net Manufacture, Uploders.

<6> Historic England, Historic England Archive, 2K/08440 (Index). SDO14738.

BRIDPORT SURVEY. No model release for DP000830 - DP000832

<7> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BF111624 (Index). SDO14738.

Bridport Project

<8> Ordnance Survey, 05-MAR-2000, OS/00978 V 0088-9 (Aerial Photograph). SDO14783.

<9> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1305398 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Dec 19 2022 3:56PM