Abbey House Museum 2025
Yorkshire
Unique trip down memory lane to a golden, bygone era. While away a few hours on the retro, vintage themed experience, and browse around the classic car display all based in a magnificent former woollen mill.
Contacts
Address: Washpit Mills Green Lane Holmfirth Yorkshire HD9 2RD
- Telephone: 01484 680 300
- Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
- Website: View website
Open Days & Times
Wed-Sun & BHol 1000-1600. Visit website or facebook for more details.
Travel
- By Rail: Brockholes / 2 miles
Facilities
- Parking
- Refreshments
- Souvenir Shop
- Part disabled access
The earliest parts of the mill date back to 1822. This was extended in 1827. The owners, Joseph and George Hinchcliff, took raw wool and processed it into spun yarn. By 1873, James Watkinson & Sons Ltd had moved into the mill, and by 1910 were listed as having 5,700 spindles, and 140 looms. Throughout the company’s life they produced woollen cloth, making them one of the few companies in the area not to move almost entirely into worsteds.
A key market was selling serges (a type of twill fabric that has diagonal lines or ridges on both sides) for military uniforms that stemmed from the firm's production of the first wool-dyed khaki serge used by the British Government in 1900. Production continued to increase and by the early 1940s the spinning capacity had increased to 7,800 spindles from 130 looms. Prior to World War II the mill employed over 500 people.
