Famous drying shed preserved

Published: Tuesday, 20 July 2010

THWAITE MILLS, an historic drying shed on the Aire & Calder has been restored by Leeds City Council.

One of the few remaining industrial drying sheds of its kind in the world, this has now been reopened as a recreation and education facility at a cost of £200,000 renovation by the city council, Alan Tilbury tells us.

Exhibition

The restoration, which began in September 2009, has turned part of the drying shed and warehouse into an exhibition of the mill's history.  The 19th century drying shed was used to dry and store putty and ground chalk produced by the mill.

Dating back to 1641, Thwaite Mills began life as a textiles mill before it later became used for wood, oil, and corn-grinding and then for stone-crushing and making putty before being closed in 1976.