A hundred years ago thousands of workers toiled in British factories making textiles, food, and metals.
But many of those formerly loud, dusty and crowded Victorian factories have now been redeveloped in to tranquil luxury apartments.
A Terry’s Chocolate Orange factory boasts ‘floor to ceiling picture windows’ in York.
Rank Hovis’ former flour mill is now the a grade II listed building and home to hundreds in Kent.
And a penthouse apartment is for sale for just over a million pounds at Hartley’s former Jam Factory in central London.
The conversions boast large airy rooms, modern design and floor to ceiling windows.
During the reign of Queen Victoria Britain went through the Industrial Revolution which led to the construction of large scale factory buildings.
Huge movement from the countryside in to cities meant these factories were full of thousands of workers up until their demise during the 20th century.
A two-bed penthouse is for sale in the former Hartley’s Jam Factory in Bermondsey near Tower Bridge Road in south central London for £1.35million
The conversion features an internal stairway with its own private roof terrace with views over central London towards Tower Bridge and the City
The Shard, gherkin and other striking landmarks in the City can be seen from the terrace on the roof of the converted factory. The terrace also features space to enjoy the sun or entertain guests
The two-bed penthouse apartment is located in the Jam Factory, London and is currently listed by Unique Property Company for £1.35m
The main living space is entirely open plan with floor to ceiling windows on two sides, Iroko hard wood flooring thorough out the entire living space and a fully fitted integrated kitchen with ceramic tiled floor
The modern addition to the factory sits at the top of the original brickwork and adds a modern edge to the Victorian building. An open plan kitchen and living room allows the light from the large floor to ceiling windows to flood the apartment
The two-bedroom penthouse apartment is a large bright space a far cry from the interior of the factory during the Victorian era when large floor length spaces would have been filled with machines and busy workers
Before: Derelict after its closure. In 1865 a flour mill was built in Ramsgate, Kent, and 96 years later it was bought by Rank Hovis – Britain’s leading flour miller.
After: Taken over by Hovis-McDougall, a leading flour miller in 1960, the flour mill was in use until the 1990s. It has now been converted into 38 contemporary apartments
It was still a flour mill until the 1990s but 38 contemporary apartments with balconies, terraces and access to landscapes gardens now occupy the building
Now large modern and bright rooms split the large factory up in to individual homes which each sell for around £250,000
Its showrooms present the possibilities for the modern build as in recent years more derelict factories are converted into homes for hundreds of people in the still bustling cities which used to be Industrial Revolution hubs
For sale on Rightmove: The spacious kitchen counters are shown with a coffee, croissants and a cookery book to show how potential homeowners can expect to enjoy their apartments
Each apartment boasts a different design with this large kitchen featuring an island and plenty of storage as well as a large fridge freezer which seamlessly blends in to the design
Stunning views from the balcony show how close the factory, in Ramsgate, is to the sea. The former factory will be surrounded by new build properties as developers use all available space
Terry’s Chocolate Orange factory closed in 2005 when production moved to Europe. Construction of The Residence in York was completed in 2017
While huge windows are a feature in many factory conversions this apartment has been built to make the most of the large space
The two-bedroom apartment offers concierge, coded lift access, two parking spaces, a communal bike store, landscaped gardens and a private balcony
The kitchen boasts a huge amount of counter space, a large sink and everything else a modern kitchen might need including a built in microwave and wine rack
Both bedrooms are doubles and have a large window each. ‘Making up part of this magnificent Grade II listed building, the former Terry’s Chocolate factory, this spacious fourth floor two-bedroom apartment is one of only four on this level,’ states the listing.
A large, modern bathroom with a shower. The property benefits from uninterrupted southerly views across the wide open spaces of the Knavesmire and beyond, best enjoyed from the larger than average private balcony, according to its listing
Another, larger, bedroom looks out across the countryside from a window almost the width of the wall. There is also enough space for a wall-length wardrobe