The History or Ebor Mill
The building now occupied by Ebor Studio has had a rich and interesting history and remains a testament to the importance of the industrial boom of the C19 within the region. Many of the original Victorian mill buildings in Littleborough have now gone and our mill serves as a legacy to the weaving industry which was so formative for the original growth of our town.
The building was constructed as Ebor Mill sometime after 1870 and is believed to have been used variously for cotton processing, warehousing and a wheelwright’s shop. In 1934, the mill was purchased on behalf of nearby St Mary’s Church and was renamed Jubilee Hall to commemorate the 50 years’ existence of the church in Littleborough. Amongst other uses, it has been used as a dining hall by St Mary’s School and some Littleborough residents have told us they still remember eating their dinners here as children.
In 1977 the building was purchased by the Littleborough Trades Hall Club and some refurbishment was undertaken, including installation on the first level of a dance floor. This was only a temporary arrangement and the building was sold again in 1979 to Haywood’s Plastics for the manufacture of plastic mouldings and the production of wooden patterns.
During the 80’s the building became empty and in need of repair but in 2006, artists Karen Lyons and Paul Haywood began a process of refurbishment and development, fulfilling an ambition to turn the building into a working cultural centre for the town for use by artists and the community alike. Studio bays were built for permanent artist working spaces.
In 2010 the building was opened to the public for art classes and in 2018 we refurbished our ground floor area, opened Gallery FRANK and started our exhibition programme. We are lucky to have a large yard at the rear of the building which has been developed for a community garden and social space to use for growing vegetables and holding workshops and events.
