Building record MDR4476 - Britannia Mills, Markeaton Street/Mackworth Street, Derby

Markeaton Hosiery Factory, at SK 341368, is a four-storey 18-bay mill of 20th century date and is an example of the last development of the multi-storey textile mills. (1) Britannia Mills, built in 1912 on the site of a much older mill [see SMR 32135], has an entrance block of cylindrical form and a dome carrying the figure of Britannia. (2) Britannia Mill, Markeaton Street/Mackworth Road. Four storey brick mill with attic. On the street's junction is a two storey drum-shaped entrance section with a domed roof and imposing entrance portico. The long-disused mill pond [SMR32135], fed from a branch of Markeaton Brook, survives nearby. This is an ancient mill site but the present mill is Moore Goode Ltd's hosiery mill of 1913. Now used as the Fine Art Department of the University of Derby. (3) Britannia Mill, built in 1912, occupies the site of Markeaton Mill, an early 19th century colour works. No entries were listed on the north side of Markeaton Street in Kelly's 1912 directory, but Britannia Mill had been constructed within the site by 1914. The new mill was principally the premises of Moore Eady Murcott and Goode Ltd, hosiery manufacturers. Kelly's 1915 directory also listed Pybus Brothers, paint and colour manufacturers, at the site, although they had left by 1922. The mill was not water-powered, although a water-driven turbine was in use during the 1930s, suggesting that the former mill leat may have remained open until then. During the first half of the 20th century, some earlier structures shown on maps to the north of the main Britannia Mill block were removed and new buildings were constructed. The mill employed 200 to 250 people during the post-war period; however it ceased trading in 1982 and the building was used subsequently as a storage centre before being purchased by the University of Derby in the early 1990s. Building recording of a two- to three-storey early 20th century extension on the north-east side of the mill was carried out in 2010. This structure post-dated the first phase of Britannia Mill. Its lower floors appear to have related primarily to the provision and regulation of power and/or heat to the mill. An intermediate space functioned principally as a space for loading/unloading, while the upper floor may originally have formed office space. (4) Four storey brick built mill with an attic storey within the mansard roof. High proportion of glazing having a strong vertical emphasis in the design. Recently altered and extended to house the University’s Administrative Centre. Entrance is through a two storey corner tower facing Markeaton Street, with stone domed roof and very elaborate stone doorcase, with a segmental pediment. Built for Moore Eady, Murcott Goode Ltd. for hosiery manufacture. This was originally the site of one of Derby’s corn mills, later converted to an emery and paint producing mill. The ancient mill pond with fleam and leat connections to the Markeaton Brook still lie adjacent. (5)