Old Tweed Mills, Wales

Nestled between a bubbling river and rolling green Welsh hills, lay the abandoned Old Tweed Mills. Their story, spanning over 150 years, follows the Welsh textile industry from the Industrial Revolution boom to the fall of the British textile industry in the mid-20th century. The forest is slowly engulfing these ruins, as they are collapsing. However, inside are the skeletal remains of old machines, still strung with colourful woollen threads.

What is Tweed?

Tweed is a fabric produced from loosely woven, thick strands of wool. Typically features a twill or herringbone pattern. This rough, open weave traps air for insulation, making it ideal for colder climates.

The creation of tweed starts with raw sheep’s wool. This is dyed in various colours, that is subsequently spun into yarn. Several colours of yarn are weaved on large looms, creating the characteristic flecked appearance of tweed. Finally, the fabric is washed and finished, ready to be transformed into jackets, hats, and other cosy winter garments.

History of the abandoned Welsh tweed mills

Interestingly, this site has a pretty shiny industrial history and is reported to have once been the location of a silver ore smeltery and mill in the mid-17th century. The Tweed Mill was built in the early 19th century, ushered into being by the Industrial Revolution and associated demand for textiles. Any good tweed mill requires a steady supply of high-quality sheep wool, and Wales certainly has a lot of sheep. The nearby river provides ample driving power for the mill’s water wheels, which are necessary for operating the looms and other machinery.

Throughout the early 20th century, the Welsh Tweed Mills thrived, and this village became the economic heart of the wider region. The mills became one of the biggest employers. Work in the mill was tough, both in terms of the labour-intensive nature and the long shift hours. It is said that the workers referred to some of the machines as “devils” in reference to this!

However, the mid-20th century brought changes that would signal the end of this village mill. The British textile industry began to struggle. As other countries underwent their own industrialization, it became more economical to mass import textiles from overseas. Specifically, the import of cotton fabric hit the wool mills hard. By the 1960s, these Old Tweed Mills had woven their last and closed down.

A new owner bought the mills, and he was able to keep them operational for another 20 years. Together with his wife, he transformed them into a tourist attraction. The machines were maintained in working order and used to demonstrate the entire production process as it was in the “olden days”. Sadly, the museum eventually closed down, and the buildings fell into ruin.