Adelphi Mill
The Adelphi Mill is an award-winning Grade II listed former cotton mill. It is situated along side the Macclesfield Canal on the edge of the Peak District. The mill has recently been updated with a multi-million pound refurbishment to provide contemporary offices within a picturesque waterside setting.
The Local Bollington Area
Both the Adelphi Mill, and its sister mill Clarence Mill, are located in Bollington, Cheshire, adjacent to Macclesfield canal. Historically, the canal was used by the mills for cotton transportation. Nowadays it is very popular for narrow boating and canoeing. The mill is within walking distance of Macclesfield and Prestbury. The mills are on the edge of the Peak District National Park, an area of outstanding natural beauty. Bollington has many fine walks, one of which is the well-known Middlewood Way, which runs from Macclesfield through to the centre of Bollington and beyond.
The mills are at the heart of the community. They are not only the home of the local community radio station but they also host the annual Bollington Extravaganza. Clarence Mill hosts the annual Floating Garden Festival and also has donated office space to support those who were involved with the establishment of the Bollington Discovery Centre.
Bollington benefits from a number of fine restaurants, hotels and golf courses which cater to the growing business community. There are also numerous fitness centres and spas in the area, including a modern, fully equipped gym inside the mill itself. The town has two beautiful parks, one being the Recreation Ground. Bollington Recreation Ground has been awarded coveted Green Flag Status on several occasions. This is the highest accolade achievable for parks, making it one of the best parks in the country.
The History of Adelphi Mill
The mill was constructed in 1856 by Martin Swindells, a local cotton spinner, who also owned Clarence Mill. The Adephi Mill was built for Swindells’ two sons – hence the name ‘Adelphi’, which is the Greek word for brothers.
The mill spun cotton but was soon converted to the production of fine silk. Within three years of the mill being established, the railway came to Bollington, running virtually along side the mill. This soon led to a decline in canal transportation, but the Macclesfield Canal remained navigable. The UK’s very first narrow canal cruising club, the North Cheshire Cruising Club, was established there in 1943. During the Second World War Adelphi Mill contributed to the war effort by converting to the production of parachutes.
At the end of the 1960s the mill was acquired by Britax and used for the production of webbing until the 1980s, when the mill was first converted to offices. The use of the canal for leisure purposes has gone from strength to strength and it is now the most well-used and picturesque canal in the UK.