Listed Building record MDR10398 - Former Sawmill, Workshop, and Drying Sheds, Old Lane, Derby

Former sawmill, workshop, and drying sheds, Old Lane, Derby, an early 19th century complex. 'Drying Shed, Old Lane, Darley Abbey. Tall, single storey structure formerly with slatted sides and roof. Filled in to make an enclosed building for modern usage.' (1) 'Later 19th century development was concentrated to the east and south-east of the complex. By the time of the 1881 Ordnance Survey 1:2500 map it included … two large drying sheds, formerly with slatted sides.' (2) 'The mill closed in the late 1960s but still flourishes after a fashion, split up into smaller industrial units.' (3) 'Coppice Barn. (Part of Listed Building DDR1709) Building purpose-built to store coppiced timber for turned products. Hipped Welsh slate roofs with generous overhang. Brick piers with rounded corners. Building originally designed with open sides, now filled with a variety of finishes. Half-slated roof is reported to be an original construction technique - ventilation possibly part of original design intention. Coppice Barn, L-shaped range. (Part of Listed Building DDR1415) L-shaped building 1846-1860. Building purpose-built to store coppiced timber for turned products. Hipped Welsh slate roofs with generous overhang. Brick piers with rounded corners. Building originally designed with open sides, infilled and part glazed in 1969.' (4) From the National Heritage List for England: 'SK 33 OLD LANE 893/0/10085 Darley Abbey 13-FEB-67 Sawmill and Workshop Range and Drying Shed. Darley Abbey Mills (South complex) (Formerly listed as: OLD LANE Darley Abbey Darley Abbey Mills (East Mill, Middle Mill, Long Mill, West Mill, Gassing Shed, Polishing shop, Dyeing shop, Boiler House, Chimney, Canteen)) (Formerly listed as: OLD LANE Darley Abbey 1-5 Cottages) (Formerly listed as: OLD LANE Darley Abbey Darley Abbey Mills (East Mill, Middle Mill, West Mill, Finishing House, Enquiry iry Office, Toll House, Cottages and Other Buildings)) GV II Group of detached buildings forming south-eastern corner of extensive cotton textile factory, partially in use as small industrial estate at time of inspection. Early C19, enlarged mid- C19 further altered mid and late C20. Built by the Evans family of Darley Abbey. MATERIALS. Gritstone with slate roof coverings and brick with modern cladding. PLAN: Group forms southern boundary of manufacturing complex sub-divided by Old Lane. It is formed by a functionally related group of buildings identified as SAWMILL and WORKSHOP and DRYING SHED. SAWMILL and WORKSHOP. EXTERIOR: 2-storey range along the south eastern perimeter of the site, of 2 principal phases. The lower, 7 bay section to the east has multi-paned cast iron windows with hinged central casements in its northern elevation and a blind elevation to the rear. The taller 5 bay building to the west has a wide openings on the ground floor, a loading door and a variety of windows on the upper floor, a hipped roof and external stone stair on the west gable. INTERIOR : The western range has a very tall ground floor with transverse ceiling beams supported by fluted cast iron columns. Unwrought pine timbers bolted to the beams are fitted with lifting rings. The first floor has 3-inch boards without joists, a form of fire-retarding construction. DRYING SHED. EXTERIOR : Tall, L- shaped 5 bay by 5 bay single storey shed constructed of brick piers and light panel cladding with ventilated slate roof. It formerly had slatted sides and is shown on the 1881 OS map. This complex of structures forms part of the textile manufacturing site at Darley Abbey which traded under the name of Boars Head Mills. The complex as an entity is exceptional in its completeness of survival, and displays important aspects of the development of fire-proofing technology for textile factories. The site forms part of the closely related network of pioneer textile manufacturing sites in the Derwent Valley; Thomas Evans was an associate of Richard Arkwright of Cromford and the Evans family was related by marriage to the Strutt family who had mills in Belper, Milford and Derby. Darley Abbey sits alongside these settlements in terms of both historic and architectural significance, the mill complex retains all of its major early buildings as well as the C19 additions many of which are distinguished by the use of iron roofs. Source: English Heritage Architectural Investigation Report NBR 33050.' (5)