"India Mill, Darwen" Frank Wightman (1980)
GB124.P.FW.3.41
"Formerly Eccles Shorrocks & Co
Drawn by permission of India Mills (Darwen) Ltd, Rayon Staple Spinners
Data provided by India Mill from “Building News 1868”
"Height of chimney shaft from bottom of foundations to top of iron crest 310 ½ ft. Height from ground 300ft. Base is of solid ashlar stone 29ft sq at the ground and 42ft high. The stone cornice near top is 35ft on the sides.
The shaft itself is built of red, white, black and yellow bricks with sand gritstone dressings and is 24ft sq. Built absolute plumb. The walls are 3ft thick at top of base cornice; reduced at intervals to 23” at top by 'set-offs' inside. The shaft is built with a reverse batter, that is larger under cornice than at the base. The main cornice is 255 ft from ground.
Many of the stones for the main cornice weighed 5 tons each and were hoisted by a steam winch.
The balusters above the cornice are iron castings, as are the corner vases.
The crown mould of cornice overhangs 3 times as far as it rests on the wall and was temporary cramped in place by iron cramps until the top crest was erected.
The top crest weighs over 20 tons and is built of 300 separate castings all locked by lugs and slots. No bolts and nuts used. The inner chimney shaft is 180ft high, entirely independent of the outer shaft, in order to prevent heat cracking the outside.
The chimney was designed and detailed by Manchester architect Mt Ernest Bates 1866/7 and constructed by the mill owners Eccles, Shorrocks & Co with Mr Robert Edwards as supervisor and clerk of works. No contractor being employed. The estimated weight of the chimney is about 8,000 tons."
"India Mill, Darwen" Frank Wightman (1980)
GB124.P.FW.3.41
"Formerly Eccles Shorrocks & Co
Drawn by permission of India Mills (Darwen) Ltd, Rayon Staple Spinners
Data provided by India Mill from “Building News 1868”
"Height of chimney shaft from bottom of foundations to top of iron crest 310 ½ ft. Height from ground 300ft. Base is of solid ashlar stone 29ft sq at the ground and 42ft high. The stone cornice near top is 35ft on the sides.
The shaft itself is built of red, white, black and yellow bricks with sand gritstone dressings and is 24ft sq. Built absolute plumb. The walls are 3ft thick at top of base cornice; reduced at intervals to 23” at top by 'set-offs' inside. The shaft is built with a reverse batter, that is larger under cornice than at the base. The main cornice is 255 ft from ground.
Many of the stones for the main cornice weighed 5 tons each and were hoisted by a steam winch.
The balusters above the cornice are iron castings, as are the corner vases.
The crown mould of cornice overhangs 3 times as far as it rests on the wall and was temporary cramped in place by iron cramps until the top crest was erected.
The top crest weighs over 20 tons and is built of 300 separate castings all locked by lugs and slots. No bolts and nuts used. The inner chimney shaft is 180ft high, entirely independent of the outer shaft, in order to prevent heat cracking the outside.
The chimney was designed and detailed by Manchester architect Mt Ernest Bates 1866/7 and constructed by the mill owners Eccles, Shorrocks & Co with Mr Robert Edwards as supervisor and clerk of works. No contractor being employed. The estimated weight of the chimney is about 8,000 tons."
