W.H. Shaws, Diggle, Lancs, July 2019

HughieD · Aug 23, 2019

1. The History
W.H.Shaw Ltd is located at Dobcross Works. The centrepiece is the Grade II-listed Office Building of the former Dobcross loom works, known locally as “The Cathedral”. Built in1890 for Huchinson and Hollingworth in a Gothic style, it is revered for its 4-stage clock tower.

The loom works themselves date back to 1860. The main chimney was built in 1863 and was subsequently enclosed. A number of the original buildings burned down in 1875, then a larger works was erected on the same site and extended between 1890 and 1900 to provide the main area of the factory. The company was a world leader in the manufacture of textile machinery and the "Dobcross Loom" was exported worldwide in the late 19th century.

Most of the original buildings were demolished from 1912 onwards, with only occasional elements still remaining from the original works due to losses suffered in a large fire circa 1925. From 1920 and over the next ten years saw some serious reconstruction work that included the building of the water tower. A new large building was built to the north in two stages in 1910 and then in 1920 on the site of the former Wrigley Mill.

Aerial shot of the mill from 1926:

WH Shaw Ariel by HughieDW, on Flickr

The buildings were used for munitions in World War I and for making parts for Russian submarines in World War 2. More recently the site was subsequently used as a pallet works (WH Shaw) between 1969-2006 (reputedly one of the largest pallets works in Europe) and more recently used for an injection moulding business.

In 2015 WRT Developments Ltd submitted four different planning permission requests to demolish the existing buildings on the WH Shaw site apart from the listed office building and clock tower and link bridge. The plans then detailed the construction of the new Saddleworth School. The applications were approved in April 2016, with work start later in 2016 and conclude in 2018. However, at a judicial review by the High Court quashed all four permissions on one ground; committee members did not address the “additional financial, educational and construction burdens of keeping the Uppermill site to avoid the substantial harm of the heritage asset”. The plans were resubmitted in January 2018 and the £19m 1,500 pupil school came a step closer to happening when the Environment Agency lifted their objection to the school on the basis of an unacceptable flooding risk. A new planning application, again with four proposals, was considered in February 2019 with all four applications were approved unanimously by the committee ten years after the plans were first mooted. Despite the approval, as at July 2019, the site remains abandoned.

2. The Explore
Been wanting to come here for a while so good to final explore this place. Explored in non-member Gazza. It’s a big site so getting in isn’t a massive issue. Secca seem to have given up the ghost but there is a concerted effort to keep the clocktower building sealed up. Had a good hour looking round the industrial goodness this place has to offer. It’s a mishmash of different buildings and some are more interesting than others. One thing that did strike us in the older bit of the factory was the amount of pigeon carnage. Not sure what has led to this. Weirdest moment of the explore was when I heard someone around the corner from me. Assumed it was Gazza. Then this random bloke with a screwdriver walked past me and muttered something to me in a foreign language, then just disappeared as quickly as he had appeared. Saw nothing else of him.

So, the clock tower eluded us. It’s a shame as it is the most beautiful building externally and internally.

3. The Pictures

Did I mention the bonus tunnel under the canal?