Mission #1 Complete: Millennium Mills

[BrixiSteve]

Great to see this building again. About four years ago I made a film there for Amnisty International, at the same time I was also in a show in the West End. It was only a one day shoot and so was very hectic and everything had to finished that day, anyway, we ended up finishing late and so I didn't have time to get my make up off before the car arrived to take me into town. As it happened traffic was grid-locked in town and time was getting on so I had to get out of the car and leg it down Shaftesbury Ave. In the film I was a political prisoner and part of the make-up was a bullet hole in the head so lotsa blood. It was on seeing the horror on the faces of the people on Shaftesbury Ave, and the speed with which they got out of my way that made me realise that this wasn't such a good idea. Freat fun though...!

 

[Prefade]

Just found this thread, so please excuse me bumping it. I wanted to lavish praise on your exploits as well. I literally live just across the road from the Mill, in fact in one photo you can see the balcony of my flat. Depending on my mood, my view of the building ranges from annoyance at it being such an eyesore, to appreciation of the snapshot of history that it represents.

Have always wondered just what is inside so I'm enormously grateful to you for posting the pictures of your explorations. It's made my day to see it all. I just hope when Ken finally builds his aquarium on the site it has even a fraction of the charm of this old building.

 

[BEARBOT]

thanks for posting these photos

i used to go into abanoned factories and take photos when i was a student in boston,mass a long time ago..just places i would come across when out walking..i esp loved those giant wheel turbines i would sometimes see..

about a year ago i stayed for 2 weeks in a newly squatted place in barcelona it was a garment factory of some kind..i loved the haunted atmopshere and to have interesting people around me to drink wine and soak it all in..unbeatable

it would be great for you to keep posting yr photos and hope you have no more trouble with the police...if you ever want to invite fellow urbanites along on yr adventures PM me

 

[Mrs Magpie]

I used to work in Silvertown...always wondered what the Spillers mill was like inside...thanks!

 

[detective-boy]

I was at the ExCel for a conference and exhibition for three days last week ... was quite weird looking across the dock at the old Millennium Mills building knowing what was in there, and what the view was looking back at me!

 

[loud 1]

Err no thanks. We are not thieves. Heritage is to be seen, shared via photos and words, but not stolen. Some of our team are on the breadline, but they've got some self respect. That's not something you can cart away in a backpack and flog on ebay.

ok..



ill do it.

 

[paolo]

It was certainly quite a day.

I'd guess there's about 500,000 sq foot of space, spread over two "merged" buildings, running up to about 12 stories, with a further two stories of roof bits on top. Most of it wasn't too worrying. The internal staircases are all concrete and solid, and the external stepped ladders were also fine. I saw only one broken step in our time there.

We took a look in one of the upper sections of the old building and instantly decided we'd give it a miss. It was all wood flooring, and there wasn't any need to take the risk given how much we'd been able to see everywhere else.

One of the best bits was finding the office with various documents and records, which was like looking back to a frozen point in time - when the mill closed. Kitty found an invoice with the Spillers name on it, and badgers found the spraying records and another book documenting workers holidays.

For some reason, the pigeons all lived near the top - and, when we were there at least, all in just one the room. Maybe they like having pigeon company or something.

It was up at that level we started finding "comedy doors". Doors to death on the outside wall. Some sliding, some regular. They are probably a hangover from when there was an adjoining silo, where bridges connected. Badgers did open one of them, very gingerly. Another one of those moments where I just couldn't watch.

Before leaving, we headed down to the ground floor, which felt more like a basement due to it being bricked up. After a few minutes we hear a very loud banging noise and suspect someone is trying to get in, or perhaps it's security checking doors or something. Needless to say we were quite spooked. When we got back up the first floor we discovered a metal cabinet door, flapping in the wind. Phew!

Our exit, timed to avoid security (at least our guess of when they'd be round), gave us our final mental wobbles as we got down from the 15 foot entry point. It was a relief, finally, to be back on solid ground, after spending so much time constantly being alert to lethal hazards.

At Pontoon Dock DLR, we looked back at the Mills, thinking "we've just done that". An awesome place.

me and kitty...

It's the last mill. We rinsed it.