Victoria Mill

53°29′24″N 2°12′50″W / 53.489868°N 2.213842°W / 53.489868; -2.213842

Victoria Mill is a Grade II* listed 19th-century cotton spinning mill in Miles Platting, Manchester, England. It was a double mill designed by George Woodhouse and completed in 1869.^[2]

Built alongside the Rochdale Canal and Varley Street, Victoria Mills were constructed for William Holland & Sons, of the Adelphi Mill, Salford. It was designed by George Woodhouse of Bolton as a six storey double mill with shared engine house. It had an octagonal chimney.^[3] The mill was acquired by the Fine Cotton Spinners and Doublers Association in 1898 and worked to 1960, and has now been converted into office space and residential use.^[4]

Built in 1869, Victoria Mill contributed to Manchester’s reputation as “Cottonopolis,” a global hub of the textile industry that fuelled Britain’s rapid industrial expansion during the Victorian era.^[5]

At its peak, the mill housed vast spinning rooms filled with machinery that processed raw cotton into fine yarn and cloth for domestic and export markets. The building played a role in shaping the working-class communities that developed in and around Miles Platting, providing stable employment for generations.^[5]

Victoria Mill is a typical example of late Victorian industrial architecture in Manchester. Its robust red brick construction, repetitive rows of large multi-pane windows and practical internal layout reflected the priorities of the textile industry at the time — daylight, ventilation and fireproofing.^[6]

Like many mills in Greater Manchester, Victoria Mill declined steadily through the 20th century as Britain’s textile sector faced foreign competition and changing markets. For years, the mill stood partly vacant and underused, a relic of Manchester’s industrial past.^[5]

In the early 2000s, Victoria Mill was revived through a major regeneration project that transformed the old industrial building into modern residential apartments. The redevelopment was overseen by Whitecroft Group, which retained key heritage features while upgrading the structure for contemporary living standards.^[4]

Specialist contractors such as Medlock FRB contributed significant fit-out works, ensuring that the new apartments respected the building’s original fabric. Original brick walls, large window bays and cast-iron columns were preserved wherever possible.^[7] Murray Building Services delivered modern building services installations, helping meet updated safety, energy and efficiency standards for residents.^[8]

Today, Victoria Mill stands as a symbol of Manchester’s industrial heritage and a successful example of how historic mills can be repurposed to meet modern needs. Its distinctive red brick facade and original architectural details remain part of the local landscape, connecting new generations to the story of Manchester’s textile industry and the communities that grew around it.^[3]

• Grade II* listed buildings in Greater Manchester
• Listed buildings in Manchester-M40
• Cottonopolis
• Textile manufacture during the Industrial Revolution
• List of mills in Manchester

• Cottontown.org website
• Spinningtheweb.org website