visitburnley

Imagine what life was like for the weavers who spent their days surrounded by the noise and dirt from the looms, who breathed in the cotton fibres and who had to learn to lip-read in order to communicate with each other.

At this unique venue visitors will find collections of national importance, including the engine, boiler house and chimney that are scheduled ancient monuments; and they will be able to experience the noise, sights and smells of the last steam powered weaving mill in the World.

In the weaving shed over 300 Lancashire looms pound away producing yards of cotton cloth for export – watch the weavers’ operating the looms then use the interactive exhibits to ‘zoom into the looms’ to see more closely how the cotton is woven and you can hear about ‘life at t’mill’ as former mill workers tell their stories.

Film Star

You may  not have visited Queen Street Mill yet, but I bet you’ve seen it on screen. As the mill is such a unique attraction it is often the first choice of location scouts, TV producers and film directors, so much so that over the last 10 year major dramas such as ‘North and South’ and ‘Life on Mars’ have been filmed here and the 2011 Oscar winning movie ‘The King’s Speech with Colin Firth, HelenaBonham-Carter and Geoffrey Rush used the weaving shed to shoot a key scene.

“The Gruesome Death at the Mill Tour” and other happenings

Be scared, be very scared as you wander through the dark and forbidding mill where a death has shocked the neighbourhood who swear they can hear ghostly noises and see strange lights in the middle of the night. Hallowe’en will never be the same again!

Come to Queen Street Mill on Hallowee’en to take part and find out just what’s going on. However, if this is just too scary there are plenty of other events all year round to tempt you to visit. Historical re-enactments, exhibitions, holiday activities for children and fun Christmas events are guarenteed to make you welcome.

Global Threads

Global Threads is part of the Cultural Olympiad, it takes a radical look at the context of the regions outstanding heritage of textiles and cotton mills. As part of this project Queen Street Mill has worked with fashion designer Sarah Hussain to educate student about the textile heritage of the area and explore how this links to the fashion industry today. Look out for details of the fashion show at the mill which allows the students to showcase their design ideas linked to our textile past.

Over the Moors

Queen Street Mill stands high on the hills overlooking Briercliffe, Worsthorne Moor and Coal Clough Windfarm, it is the perfect place to start or finish a walk across the surrounding South Pennine Moors. The mill marks the end of section one and the start of section two of the Burnley Way and is the end (0r beginning) of the Brun Valley Greenway – a great route  for walkers, cyclists and horse riders.  So get out into the fresh air and enjoy the beautiful countryside but don’t forget to stop off at The Revolution Café inside the mill after your exertions for a brew and one ot the tempting homemade cakes which are a particular treat.