A rare survival from a dramatic stage in the Industrial Revolution, Shrewsbury Flaxmill was built during a period of innovation and social upheaval.
When industry was transforming towns and countryside, it was one of the largest and most technically advanced of a new generation of factories. Shrewsbury had a long tradition of textiles and iron production, and the flaxmill embodied the latest thinking in factory design and structural engineering.
Following extensive redevelopment, in 2022 the flaxmill reopened to the public for visitors.
The world’s first iron-framed building
Built in 1797, this pioneering building was the first to use an internal iron frame of columns, beams and tie rods. Architect Charles Bage designed it to be fireproof with the structural strength to support multiple storeys. It was a bold and experimental first step towards the skyscrapers that define our cityscapes today.
A sad history
The flax industry was a major local employer and in the early 19th century more than 400 people worked at the mill. Well over half the workforce were women, and over a third were children under 16. As new machinery was introduced, fewer adult men were needed so an Apprentice House – basically a dormitory- was added in 1810 to make room for more child workers.
Conditions at work were harsh by modern standards: some jobs were very bad for the workers’ health and it wasn’t until the 1850s that the working week was reduced to 48 hours.
From flax to yarn
Flax is a plant which grows in much of the world, including Britain. The tough fibres inside its stems make linen yarn and thread, while its seeds make linseed oil. At Shrewsbury, flax was processed then sent away and woven into a range of products including rope, playing cards and even wings for early aeroplanes.
Steam powered textile
In the 1790s water was still the main source of power in industry, sometimes in combination with steam power. Water from the Shrewsbury Canal, built beside the mill, powered the steam boilers.
The first engine at the mill was a Boulton and Watt beam engine of just 20 horse power – the latest technology in 1797, but incredibly primitive compared with later mill engines. As the mill grew, five more engines were installed along with boilers and tall chimneys, dominating the local skyline.
The jubilee crown
In 1897, Jubilee-fever swept the nation. Street parties were held and civic works were erected across the globe. In celebration, Shrewsbury’s people had a special coronation of their own- crowning their best building to show their pride.
A new life
Following the closure of the flaxmill in 1886 the machinery and engines were removed. In the 1890s the site was converted into a modern maltings and remained in industrial use until the 1980s.
Derelict for many years, on 10 September 2022 – 225 years after the Mill originally opened – the site opened to the public for visitors to learn more about its incredible role in the Industrial Revolution.
Following redevelopment under Historic England’s ownership with the help of architects Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, four of the listed buildings – the Grade I listed Main Mill, the Grade II listed Kiln and the Grade II listed Smithy and Stables – are now restored and the Main Mill is open for the first time as a visitor destination – where people can come to celebrate and explore the site’s story.
Further reading
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