Griffe Mill, Stanbury

I first spotted this place earlier in the year when I was driving back from Ivy Bank Mill in Haworth. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of a chimney, way down the bottom of the valley. Having nowhere to stop as it was a narrow road, I thought I’d look for a road at the bottom of a steep valley, but there wasn’t one, just a stream.

Anyway, later on I checked out Google earth and found what looked like a ruin, so I added it to my ‘do later in the year’ list. Well it’s now later in the year, so I thought I’d better have a look! As predicted, it is indeed a ruin, but also strangely intact. I'd have got more internal photos, but for the fact it sounds like the mother of all wasps nests inside somewhere - I didn't hang around long enough to look for it!

History – the mill was built in the early 19th century and by 1850 was a worsted mill. The mill shut in 1928, and appears to have been derelict ever since. Mind you when you consider the lack of access (down a steep path that is now a field), it’s probably no surprise as getting coal and wool to it must have been fraught with difficulties, especially in winter.

This is how it used to look:

http://www.haworth-village.org.uk/history/history-pics/large.asp?pic=122

I don't think it's possible to take this picture any more as the trees by the river hide the building from view.

Many thanks to Steve Wood and Ian Palmer from www.haworth-village.org for the additional information.

You can also buy prints from this set here: http://www.photoboxgallery.com/theviewfromthenorth