17 mind blowing retro pictures of Preston’s famous Cotton Court down the years, from pre-war 1930s to modern day
By Jack Marshall
Published 28th Nov 2023, 13:29 BST
Updated 29th Nov 2023, 12:17 BST
With the modern Bhailok Court dominating the skyline in Preston, there is nevertheless plenty of history on Church Street as well.
Originally built in 1851 as a spinning mill for Thomas Ainsworth & Sons, Cotton Court was known as Church Street Mill prior to it being taken over by James Starkie & Sons, Iron & Wire Workers, which ran the site until a move to Raglan Street in the late 1970s. In the ‘80s, however, developers put in an application to transform the area into what we see today. Why not take a trip down memory lane and explore the evolution of Cotton Court down the decades...
Still fancy some more nostalgia? Check out these other recent retro pieces…
Scaffolding covers the entirety of this building which is located to the west side of the old Starkies Wire Works, off Church Street, Preston. It is part of the Cotton Court redevelopment plan in 1989 Photo: RETRO
This whole section of Church Street, Preston - pictured here in 1982 - was to make way for the ambitious Cotton Court redevelopment. It was once home to the Preston Livery and Carriage Company, and later became the police horse stables Photo: RETRO
Alan Douglas (director) with Eddie Rimmer and John Carter (site managers) of Oakwood Construction, who were undertaking work at Cotton Court, Church Street, Preston in 1989. They are pictured in front of the old police horse stables. You can just about make out the top half of the old wire works in the background Photo: RETRO
You can just about make out the old lettering for Starkies Wire Works underneath the scaffolding netting as work was underway in 1989 to redevelopment the whole of Cotton Court, on Church Street, Preston Photo: RETRO