Monument record 2614/1/4 - Langley Print Works

<1> Calladine A & Fricker J, 1993, East Cheshire Textile Mills, p.164 (Book). SCH1093.

<2> Ashmore, O, 1982, The Industrial Archaeology of North West England, p.64 (Book). SCH3181.

Important silk-printing works started in the 1820s by William and John Smith, and taken over by Whiston's. Closed 1964, and occupied by Scragg's, silk machinery makers of Macclesfield. Exhibition Building, 1851, 2 storeys, brick built, cast iron pillars. wooden beams. Formerly used for hand block printing

<3> CgMs Consulting, 2017, Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment: Langley Business Park, Langley Road, Langley, Macclesfield, Cheshire, R4599 (Client Report). SCH9226.

Documentary evidence suggests that William Smith established the silk dyeing and print works during the 1820s. Initially, this was in the buildings adjacent to Langley Hall, with hand-tying or ‘knotting’ of the silk being undertaken by women at home. Demand meant that new premises, Langley Print Works, were built on land off Cock Hall Lane by 1828 to accommodate the print works, leaving the dye works in place at Langley Mill to the north (see CHER 2614/1/3). However, although the reservoir which was located to the south-east of the works is plotted on the Tithe map of 1850 (source 4), the print works buildings are not.

The Ordnance Survey map of 1882 (source 5) is the earliest map to show Langley Print Works in detail. It shows the majority of the study site to be within four main agricultural fields. At the south end of the study site there is an arrangement of buildings aligned north-west/south-east and to the north-west of the reservoir. The Bollin Head Brook is culverted or diverted from the north-west corner of the reservoir and through the Works towards a building to the south-east of ‘Saw Pit’ marked on the map which is still extant and known as the Wheelhouse. In the southern corner was the Works’ farm and stables, known as Mount Pleasant. It housed the shire horses used to bring in the coal to the Print Works, and the farmhouse was occupied by the Print Works’ owners at various times.

The Print Works was extended and added to on a relatively small scale until the late 20th century when it was largely demolished, however, during a site visit in 2017, three buildings were identified which appear to be depicted on the 1882 Ordnance Survey map; these comprise the Wheelhouse (Building 1), a workshop-type building (Building 2), and the remains of an earlier structure incorporated into a later building (Building 3). A culverted watercourse was also observed. The three buildings were subject to Levels 1/2 building surveys in 2018 prior to their demolition (see sources 6-9 for further information).

<4> See map for surveyor, c.1837-51, Cheshire Tithe Maps and Awards, Sutton Township, 1850 (Maps and Plans). SCH3266.

<5> Ordnance Survey, 1871-1882, Ordnance Survey County Series (Epoch 1) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire (Maps and Plans). SCH2462.

<6> Mounteer & Co, 2018, Level 2 Recording: Building 1, Former Silk Printing Works, Langley, Macclesfield, Cheshire, R4600a (Client Report). SCH9227.

The building known as the Wheelhouse (Building 1, SJ 9410 7135), comprises two buildings - Building A, which corresponds to a building depicted on the OS First Edition map of 1882, and Building B, which adjoinings Building A on its north-eastern side and which overlies an arched culvert which is also visible on the OS First Edition.

Building A, which is built in a common Cheshire-style red brick, has been designed so there was no internal structure, both on the ground and the first floor. The use of roof trusses means that there are no internal loadbearing walls required. The construction of Building A in 225mm common bond brickwork together with the bolted pitched pine roof trusses, together with the semi‐circular arched openings, would lead on to believe that the building would be dated around the 1850’s at the earliest. Had the building been earlier, we would have expected some form of either very early use of pitched pine or resemblances of oak. The method of construction with the timbered binder beams between the ground and first floor and exposed boarding with narrow rather than wider boards, would also indicate a period of 1840 to 1850.

Building B, built in Accrington type brick, post-dates Building A and was probably constructed around 1900. It is built in the same form as Building A, in that there are no internal loadbearing walls and the layout is such that it contains a simple staircase leading from the ground to the first floor.

Despite the name the 'Wheelhouse', after survey, it seems unlikely that Building A housed a water wheel associated with the silk works. Historically water wheels developed in the early part of the industrial revolution with regard to textile mill processing and, with the early damming up of the stream higher up in the 1830’s/1840’s, it would be reasonable to assume that this was for some purpose associated with water power. However, unless there was excessive amounts of water, it is likely that this would only develop between 20 to 50 horsepower, not sufficient power for the complex of buildings associated with the silk printing industry. A water wheel required to produce 100 horsepower would have to be a minimum of 3.4 metres in diameter and 3.6 metres wide. Additionally, water wheels are normally attached directly to the mill or the wheel house part of the main mill complex, unlike Building A, which was an isolated building away from the main works buildings. Furthermore, there is no evidence, internally or externally, of any mechanism or wheel housing remaining.

Building B was constructed around 1900 and given that the ground floor of that building is cast concrete over the water course, any wheel house position, if there was one, would have been completely obliterated by the construction the building.

<7> Mounteer & Co, 2018, Level 2 Recording: Building 2, Former Silk Printing Works, Langley, Macclesfield, Cheshire, R4600b (Client Report). SCH9228.

Building 2 (SJ 9413 7130) correlates to a building depicted on the OS First Edition map of 1882 and was probably built between 1860 and 1880. There was a bypass stream at the side of this building from the reservoir to the south-east, although this was not the main driver of water supply; this was culverted over and concrete steps formed probably in the 1930s/40s. The brickwork to the front and rear elevations of Building 2 comprises two types of handmade brick dating to the mid-nineteenth century; the gable wall has been rebuilt in brickwork with a smaller horizontal joint. The building layout was open plan on both the ground and first floor. Although the building was adapted and altered over a period of time, largely in the 1930s/40s, original elements include three metal windows, the floor structure and roof. It is thought the building was ancillary to the main print works and, given its open plan, may have housed some kind of machinery on the first floor (also indicated by the find of a large block of masonry inside which could have provided a base for machinery).

<8> Mounteer & Co, 2018, Level 1 Recording: Building 3, Former Silk Printing Works, Langley, Macclesfield, Cheshire, R4600c (Client Report). SCH9229.

Building 3 (SJ 9410 7130) is the remains of a building which appears on the OS 1882 First Edition map and which formed part of the print works complex. Only the underside of the building remains and there has been much reconstruction making interpretation difficult. The under passageway has random stonework with brick basket weave arches, a stone retaining wall and a soffit construction of concrete intermediately supported by steelwork.

<9> Mounteer & Co, 2018, Impact Assessment on Heritage Assets: Previous Silk Printing Works, Langley, Macclesfield, Cheshire, R4601 (Client Report). SCH9230.

Report presenting the case that there is insufficient evidence, both historically and physically, that Building A (see source 6) was the wheel house at Langley Print Works; also that the culvert running along the north-east side of Building A (and underneath the later Building B) would have originally been open and was potentially constructed to help create access to the site historically.

<10> Oxford Archaeology North, 2023, Langley Business Park, Langley Road, Langley, Macclesfield, Cheshire: Archaeological Watching Brief Report, R4674 (Client Report). SCH9398.

An archaeological watching brief undertaken in November 2022 observed features associated with Langley Print Works surviving in situ; these include a retaining wall to the reservoir along the southern limit of the site, and a culverted mill race.