Hutchinson, Hollingworth and Co Ltd's Dobcross Loom Works was, despite its name, actually in Diggle.

The company was established in 1860 as Hutchinson and Hollingworth by Messrs. John Hutchinson (c.1816-1888) of Cawthorne and James Hollingworth (c.1834-1895) of Holmfirth, and was based at the Dobcross Loom Works in Oldham.

The Dobcross Loom Works closed in 1967 and was taken over shortly afterwards by W. H. Shaw, pallet manufacturers. It closed after they went into administration in 2006. The gothic office building in the picture below is a Grade II listed building.

Dobcross looms, patented by James Hollingworth and manufactured by Hutchinson, Hollingworth and Co Ltd were highly sought-after machinery, speeding up the process of textile manufacture.

Dobcross Looms were the work horses of textile manufacturing in industrial Britain with over a million of these machines made

Considering how long the place had stood empty, it only recently appeared on my radar when an online picture of the Grade II Listed admin building caught my eye and immediately stoked my interest. I was lucky in a way as though I didn’t get to see all the site, demolition started within 2 weeks of my visit.

My main aim was to see inside the admin building and I had no info beforehand, I just rocked up to scope it out initially. Pulling into the long driveway leading up to the site I noticed there was a locked gate and two huge plant machinery ready for demolition. Unaware that demolition was even taking place so soon I was on alert for workers on the site. The instant I jumped the barrier I heard a very loud whistle. "That didn’t take long” I thought as I assumed it was a worker informing me that I’d been seen. I was half right. Across the road, from one of the residential houses, a neighbour was shouting at me asking if I was supposed to be there and that I’d be in trouble if I went any further. I tried explaining it wasn’t my first rodeo and I was aware of the risks etc. “SUIT YOURSELF!” he bellowed, and I continued on my way.

‘The Cathedral’ - The Gothic Grade II listed admin building

I did continue gingerly around the site as my ninja skills had failed me at the first hurdle, and who wants a security dog hanging off your arm on your day off? Best to be cautious.

I don’t know when it happened or how but, as I rounded a corner, being careful to go round the perimeter of the site first, an alarm was sounding in the furthest building. Great! On top of the neighbour, the many cctv cameras dotted about and now the alarm going off, this wasn’t going to be a peaceful visit. BUT… I didn’t get into this hobby for the peace and quiet and these things make the sense of adventure more real. Now the alarm was going off I could wander about a bit more brazenly…..

The tunnel adjoining the factory and the admin block

The next half hour was done in relative peace and I did find a way from the factory, through the tunnel and into the admin. Here are the images from inside there:

Now, as I was about to venture up the spiral staircase, I heard a bang from downstairs. Already a bit on edge and not being a fan of basements or boarded up floors (probably due to the fact I watch too many horror films) I decided against my better judgement to go check it out and then I could stop guessing what it might be and get on with the rest of the explore.

I wasn’t a fan of the downstairs and it took some long exposure in the dark corridor to get any resemblance of what was there. I heard shuffling in one of the rooms too so stayed away from them, took the shots I needed and headed up stairs to climb the spiral iron staircase.