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Oak Cottage Parlour Re-construction

Oak cottages, in Styal village (SJ8383 : Oak Cottages), were built in the early 1820s by Samuel Greg to house his mill workers and their families. This is a reconstruction of an oak cottage parlour as it would have been around the 1840s. The rooms may seem small by today’s standards, but they were much better, and healthier, than the cramped slum conditions that factory workers in cities had to endure.

Quarry Bank Mill, on the River Bollin in the village of Styal, was founded by Samuel Greg in 1784 for the spinning of cotton and, by the time of his retirement in 1832, it was the largest cotton spinning business in the UK. The mill was originally powered by a water wheel. During the 19th century, this was supplemented by steam engines as the water supply from the Bollin was inconsistent during the summer months.

In 1939, Quarry Bank Mill and the surrounding estate were donated to the National Trust and are open to the public. The mill is one of the best preserved textile mills of the Industrial Revolution period and now serves as a museum of the cotton industry. Commercial production at the mill continued until 1959.

Quarry Bank Mill has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II* listed building.

Link - Quarry Bank Mill and Styal Estate (National Trust)
Link - Quarry Bank Mill (Wikipedia article with more information about the history of the mill and estate)