Belmont Paper Mills (Derelict)

These are the remains of Belmont Paper Mills or later Spring Side Mill, situated in the Longworth Clough beside Belmont, north of Bolton. There’s been a few urbex explores published online in the last few years with decent photos from within some of the buildings. I was filming elsewhere but had to pass over the site so had a quick look around.

There is a booklet by Helen Hayes from 1997 that outlines the history of the site, “Eagley Brook: A Lancashire Stream.” Which I think is a Turton Local History Society publication but you can get a modern copy on Amazon these days. It looks like most of the online write-ups are based on or copy Hayes verbatim.

John Livesey first established the mill in Belmont after parting ways with his business partner. At that time, paper was made from recycled textiles and rags, not wood pulp which came into use much later. Unfortunately, Livesey’s business didn’t last, and the mill shut down in 1839.

William Spencer from the nearby Belmont bleachworks bought the mill next, bringing in his wife’s cousin, Charles Turner. The mill stayed in the Spencer family until 1972 and went through several ownership changes afterwards, including being part of Courtaulds, until it ceased operations.

In the last decade, there have been plans for several cleanups at the site to remove asbestos and clear out paper waste. Some of these rooves look like asbestos to my unskilled eye. These efforts are part of a plan to redevelop the site into a housing estate, still ongoing as far as I can tell.

The mill was damaged by lightning in 1854, suffered a serious fire in 1860, and in 1986 was accused of polluting Eagley Brook with dye, though the environmental impact was minor. Another big fire in 1994 destroyed a warehouse but was contained by firefighters from Bolton and Bury.

Created: 31  July  2024  Edited: 29  October  2024