Dixon's Chimney and Shaddon Mill


Shaddon Mill is a former cotton mill in Carlisle, Cumbria, England. Both the mill and its tall chimney, named Dixon's Chimney after its builder, Peter Dixon, are Grade II listed buildings.

History

The mill and chimney were constructed in 1836 by Peter Dixon and designed by Mancunian architect Richard Tattersall. The chimney was built to be tall enough to prevent the large amounts of smoke generated by the factory becoming noxious to the rest of the city. In its day, Shaddon Mill was the largest cotton mill in England and had the 8th largest chimney in the world. Shaddon Mill became an Historic Listed Building in 1949 and the chimney became an Historic Listed Structure in 1972. Peter Dixon and Sons Ltd. provided work for 8000 people in their four mills in the area.
In 1883 Peter Dixon and Sons Ltd. went into liquidation and the mill was taken over by Robert Todd and Sons Ltd., who then used the mill for wool production rather than cotton.
The chimney was restored by Carlisle City Council in 1999. Originally it was tall, but in 1950 it was shortened to. The internal diameter of the chimney remains and walls at the base. In 2005 part of the mill was converted into apartments by Story Homes and the other part is used by the University of Cumbria.