Welcome to Dean Clough montage, F Mill, Jack Wills, Travelodge, Stod Fold

The Dean Clough site covers 22 acres, originally 1 million sq.ft. + of floor area, stretching over half a mile from one end to the other, consisting of 16 significant buildings.

These magnificent Grade II listed Victorian mills were constructed between 1840 and 1870 by the Crossley family who founded their Crossley Carpet empire here in 1822, with the buildings being built with the stone quarried from, and adopting the name of, the valley in which they sit (Dean and Clough being old English words respectively meaning valley and ravine).

Crossley Carpets were once the largest carpet manufacturers in the world, an exemplar of Victorian industry and endeavour, a vital and committed part of the community of Halifax, influencing both the town’s development and character.

The Crossley Carpets story followed the path of many in the textile industry; at their peak they were world leaders but 180 years after their inception they succumbed to changes in market forces, with the decline of the business culminating in the closure of these mills as a manufacturing base in 1982.

Our story started here in 1983, when we established Dean Clough Ltd, a private family-owned company, driven to bring these buildings back to life, to create a place to resonate with the community in which they sit and to engage and appeal to people and businesses alike.

John Crossley carpets, Dean Clough Mills, Halifax
Dean Clough looking from North Bridge

Our journey has entwined us with the fantastic mix of creative people and businesses who have made Dean Clough their home, with over 4000 people working here in a multifaceted mix of organisations, from one person businesses to multinational companies employing 1100 people.

The efficient functionality and connectivity of the buildings is a prerequisite for successful commercial activity in the 21st Century, as is the need for the services and facilities which provide the rich tapestry of support and engender a tangible sense of community.

All of these individuals, organisations and businesses are driven to follow their own path but make an active decision to be part of and contribute to this broad and diverse community, adding to the colourful present and influencing the future. From one end of the site to the other, there are countless examples of such creative endeavours.

We, and our dedicated management team, pride ourselves on building long-term relationships with our customers and stakeholders, with many people and businesses having been here with us for 30+ years.

The creation of a varied, vibrant and diverse community has been a core commitment from the outset, with the arts being a vital part of this journey. Theatre companies IOU and Northern Broadsides, the 300-seat subterranean Viaduct Theatre, half a dozen galleries, a significant collection of original art works, artist studios and a dedicated Arts Mill all contribute to the dynamic whole.

As much as Dean Clough is seen as and identified with the buildings born of its past, the pulse which drives its rebirth and fuels its ever-evolving journey, are the people who are here now and those unknown to us yet who will help shape its path in the future.

It’s a privilege to be part of this journey.

Jeremy Hall 
Chairman & Managing Director 
Dean Clough Limited