Tales of the Urban Explorer: Providence Mill

I am reading an old article that states 'Providence Mill’ might be demolished after a fire’. What makes me laugh is the fire was almost 10 years ago, and the mill remains.

Providence Mill is a derelict 19th-century former textile mill, and was expanded numerous times through the decades becoming one of Bradford's largest mills.

The mill was last used in 2006, by a furnishing company who abandoned the premises due to structural issues. It has remained empty since then. In 2013 a fire partially destroyed Providence Mill. It is currently up for sale at £200,000.

Why has it not been demolished? That is because it’s in Bradford, a place where nobody wants to live. Half of the town centre is made-up of derelict buildings such as this, full of holes and eyesores.

The land may be relatively town centre but this is not London and trying to sell the land after the expensive procurement of demolition may not be feasible.

…'so let's just leave it to rot and maybe it will demolish itself after one hundred years or so'…

We had tried and failed Hollings Mill which is almost next door. That consisted of climbing a tree that happened to be growing alongside the building, transferring your weight onto a drainpipe, and then scrambling through a window.

Except the window had a whole bunch of solid wire netting around it now. Someone had noticed and sealed the place up. I am unsure if I could have done the rest, to be honest. It was stretching my capabilities.

‘Providence Mill’ was a different situation and needed us to crawl under an ineffective gate with a large gap. It’s everyday tactics for us Urban Explorers.

The prize of this arduous effort was ‘Providence Mill', a location of the poorest 'F' grade standard. If you wanted rotting floors, rotting stairs, no windows, and pure derpyness this would be your place.

… and don’t get me started on the roof, what roof?

There were several sections to ‘Providence Mill’, all of them in absolutely terrible condition. That fire from a decade ago must have wiped out any redeeming features.

I wish I could say 'great graffiti' but even that was crap, faded, and lacked the quality of its South Yorkshire cousins.

…’@anidiotexplores wields a red t-shirt in an attempt to brighten up the surroundings of ‘Providence Mill’…

Bricks, pillows, and mushrooms; the walking was not very pleasant and uneven.

Whoever got hung up there also got decapitated. May as well do the job properly.

The only way across is to jump down, and then climb up the far side. Not a big deal, but as there was diddly-squat on the other side, I remember sighing in discontentment.

Should I try and climb the ladder, do you think it would take my weight or collapse immediately?

This part of ‘Providence Mill' did have a little roof left, but that had not stopped many holes from appearing underfoot.

Yes, maybe not this time. As well as most of the bottom rung being absent and rotten, it looked a little burnt.

Thanks, @anidiotexplores for sticking your foot in my photograph. This was the alternative route out, and you had to jump which created some unwanted momentum that propelled you down to the bottom.

Casting a furtive glance at the rotting ladder in the corner and all the goodies I would miss on the upper floor, I jumped and immediately went into a run, using the bottom wall to kill my movement.

This is where the cool people hang out then?

It’s a little drier and there’s cock graffiti, what more would you want when shooting up?

Old rusted machinery with what looks like insulation padding around it

… and more evidence of the local smackheads and their behavioral patterns.

I was hoping for a little more, some paperwork, some history, some real live smackheads maybe?

It’s not bad, I could not draw anywhere near that well.

The same artist methinks. If they take the skip away, then it’s gone forever.

There were easier ways into ‘Providence Mill’ besides jumping over the tall red gates.

As I mentioned in my last post, leaving your car close to a monstrosity such as this can lead to popped tyres, broken windows, and a burnt-out car. Yet they still leave them.

24-hour access to the surrounding buildings, and for what?

These decorative ash trays were attached to the exterior of ‘Providence Mill’ a nice touch and tells me everyone smoked around 1870.

Can you see the building opposite that looks like it's been renovated into housing? Imagine that view every morning when you look out of your window.

We left ‘Providence Mill’ in search of something a little more upbeat.

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