The 2010 Project (with permission) to document the Barbour Threads / Hilden Mill site. The project concluded with an exhibition entitled ‘Through the Mill’ at the Island Arts Centre. 

“Through the Mill” is a series of thought-provoking images. The series captures a living history of Lisburn’s industrial past.

This series goes beyond location, capturing urban decay, the natural world, and the details of our daily lives. It challenges us to reflect on the perceived silence of the past and our role in the present.

Through the Mill Photography Exhibition

A two-hundred-year story came to an end in 2006 with the closure of Hilden Mill. Through the Mill, its final chapter, gives us a rare glimpse of the mill as it stood in 201. The exhibition invites us to imagine the lives of generations of mill workers.

The images challenge us to reflect on our heritage, what has passed, what can never return, what our legacy is, and the future of this architectural and industrial landmark in our community.

Through the Mill was a photography exhibition, showcasing the rugged beauty and industrial heritage of Northern Ireland. The collection featured stunning images of the abandoned mill, with their decaying architecture and hauntingly beautiful textures captured in exquisite detail.

Each photograph invited viewers to explore the interplay between nature and industry as vines and rust reclaimed forgotten spaces. “Through the Mill” was a poignant tribute to history, memory, and transformation.

The Barbour Threads Lisburn, exhibition ran from Wednesday 13th October – Saturday 23rd October 2010 located at the Island Arts Centre.

Hilden Mill Photographs

HILDEN MILL HISTORY

Barbour Threads, Hilden Mill, a 24-acre former factory site on the outskirts of Lisburn, overlooks the River Lagan. Originally a linen bleaching green, the site was acquired in 1823 by industrialist William Barbour. His father had emigrated from Scotland around 40 years earlier to start a linen thread business in Lisburn.

William Barbour founded a water-powered mill at Hilden, setting the foundation for what would become one of the world’s largest linen thread manufacturers. Over the years, the Barbours employed thousands at Hilden and created a model village for their workers, complete with hundreds of homes and schools.

The Mill closed in 2006, however, the legacy of Barbour Threads and Hilden Mill endures in Lisburn’s cultural memory. The site remains a testament to the ingenuity and global impact of Northern Ireland’s industrial age. Efforts to preserve and repurpose the historic mill buildings continue, celebrating the contributions of the Barbour family and their workforce to the region’s rich industrial heritage

History of Barbour Threads, Lisburn

Barbour Threads has a rich history rooted in the industrial heritage of Lisburn, Northern Ireland. Established in 1784 by John Barbour, the company began as a small linen thread manufacturing business in Lisburn. Recognizing the increasing global demand for high-quality thread, John’s son, William Barbour, expanded the operation, relocating to Hilden, a village near Lisburn. There, the Barbours established what would become one of the largest linen thread mills in the world, Hilden Mill.

Barbour Threads quickly gained prominence for producing strong, durable linen threads used in sewing, netting, and fishing industries. By the mid-19th century, Barbour Threads had a substantial international presence, with trade extending across Europe and North America. The mill became a centerpiece of Lisburn’s industrial landscape, employing thousands of workers and transforming the local economy.

The Barbour family invested in the welfare of their employees, establishing schools, housing, and recreational facilities for workers and their families, creating a model industrial community. The mill’s iconic clock tower became a symbol of industrial progress in the region.

Documentary Photography

Hilden Mill Links

Ulster Architectural Heritage article October 2024
Lisburn Museum

Hilden Mill in the News

Permission Sought to Demolish Hilden Mill
Fire at Hilden Mill 2024
Fire at Hilden Mill 2021
Hilden Mill ear marked for 600 homes (2015)