The historically significant Flaxmill Maltings was opened to the public this weekend after many years of restoration. We took the opportunity visit both the site and exhibition. The transformation from its former derelict state is impressive. I found the exhibition interesting and informative but thought that it didn’t bring out the historic significance of the building structure.
The restoration project is still a work in progress. Other associated buildings on the site are still in need of restoration.
The Main Mill at Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings is the first iron-framed building in the world. The pioneering frame is what makes this an internationally important industrial heritage site.
Known as the grandparent of skyscrapers, the Main Mill opened in 1797 as a purpose-built flax mill. Since then, the site has grown and been repurposed and adapted many times. It was a maltings from 1897 to 1987, but also served as a temporary army barracks during the Second World War. After the maltings closed in 1987, the future of the site and its important buildings became increasingly uncertain.
The new mill would be built to Charles Bage’s designs. Before construction began, he used his own research and that of others to test the strength of cast iron and the structure of the frame that he had designed. When Bage was satisfied that the plans were right, the mill was built.
The innovative new five-storey Main Mill building had an internal frame made entirely from cast iron. The frame was made up of three rows of cast iron columns and cast iron beams extended between them. Brick arches were built between the beams to form the floors and wrought iron tie rods prevented these arches from springing apart. Together this made a fireproof structure.
The columns and the beams for the frame were cast in Shrewsbury at William Hazeldine’s new foundry. Hazeldine had a reputation for quality – he also supplied Thomas Telford with components for the world’s first suspension bridge built over the Menai Strait some years later.
As well as creating a fireproof structure, the strength that iron gave to the Main Mill was the leap needed to allow buildings to be built taller. Now described as the grandparent of the modern skyscraper, the Main Mill is the first known multi-storey cast iron-framed building in the world.
The full history can be viewed here.
Before leaving we chose to have lunch in the onsite Turned Wood Café. The offerings are plant based and everything is beautifully presented. The menu is a work in progress, I am sure I will be back soon to sample something new.
