We have a wonderful photo in our archives showing excited Mill workers climbing onto ‘charabancs’ to take them on annual trips – the Mill and the community were closely linked and the owners keen to offer their workers fun times. History has come full circle; modern day Oswaldtwistle Mills now welcomes thousands of coaches a year. Last year we had 1,500,000 visitors through our doors! That’s a staggering figure and one we are very proud of.

 Oswaldtwistle Mills has been home to an Aladdin’s Cave of shopping treasures for 25 years now since we opened as one of the first Mill Shopping Villages in Lancashire. A lot has changed since those early days selling detergents and fabric remnants under our former guise of The Bubble Factory, but our modern-day Shopping Village and Garden Centre offers something different to amaze, charm and tempt on every visit.

Walk through our ever-expanding 120,000 feet of retail space and you’ll find all the gift inspiration you could ne The cotton weaving industry had humble beginnings in single roomed weavers’ cottages where, more than 300 years ago, local weavers would spin yarn and weave calico cloth from raw cotton sold to them by a local farmer. Then in 1764, James Hargreaves, an ancestor on our family tree, triggered the start of the Industrial Revolution by inventing the Spinning Jenny. This escalated the cotton industry into vast productivity as the Spinning Jenny could now do the job of 8 spinners in keeping one weaver supplied with yarn. By the early 1800’s, hundreds of workers would stream through the doors of Moscow Mill into the clattering atmosphere of what is now The Weavers Court. Weaving was carried out continuously at Moscow Mill for more than 150 years until the early 1990’s when the globalisation of manufacturing caused the last weaving shed to close and Oswaldtwistle Mills to be born. We have a wonderful photo in our archives showing excited Mill workers climbing onto ‘charabancs’ to take them on annual trips – the Mill and the community were closely linked and the owners keen to offer their workers fun times. History has come full circle; modern day Oswaldtwistle Mills now welcomes thousands of coaches a year. Last year we had 1,500,000 visitors through our doors! That’s a staggering figure and one we are very proud of.   Oswaldtwistle Mills has been home to an Aladdin’s Cave of shopping treasures for 25 years now since we opened as one of the first Mill Shopping Villages in Lancashire. A lot has changed since those early days selling detergents and fabric remnants under our former guise of The Bubble Factory, but our modern-day Shopping Village and Garden Centre offers something different to amaze, charm and tempt on every visit.   Walk through our ever-expanding 120,000 feet of retail space and you’ll find all the gift inspiration you could need: scented candles, arts and crafts supplies, sewing machines, contemporary furniture and home furnishings, lighting and an impressive range of clothes, shoes and accessories included: scented candles, arts and crafts supplies, sewing machines, contemporary furniture and home furnishings, lighting and an impressive range of clothes, shoes and accessories including many leading high-street brands, a colourful garden centre, a gourmet food deli and butchers, old fashioned sweet shop and more! And if all this retail therapy leaves you feeling peckish there’s plenty of choice – from the contemporary Cafe Nova to the Hungry Tackler (which is great for groups), to the relaxing Pavillion Coffee Shop, the chic Terrace Tea Room or Scoops indulgent Ice Cream Parlour.

Intrigued by Oswaldtwistle Mill’s history? Visit the Heritage Centre, or find yourself drawn back into childhood by the scent of Stockley’s Sweet Shop. Take the Nature Trail in our beautifully landscaped Mill Grounds, discover the range of Wildfowl in our Wildfowl Reserve. Enjoy the colourful displays in our Garden Centre. There’s certainly fun to be had for all the family and do keep an eye on our Events section here on our new website www.o-mills.co.uk/events – here you’ll find our Calendar of Special Events, Seasonal Attractions, Classes and Workshops.