Description of Historic Place

The Beaumont Knitting Mill, located at 586 Main Street, is on the west side of Main Street, north of Joseph Street, in Glen Williams, Town of Halton Hills. The three storey stone mill was established in 1878 with several later additions.

The property was designated by the Town of Halton Hills in 1990 for its heritage value under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act (By-law 1990-0045).

Heritage Value

The Beaumont Knitting Mill was established by James Leslie, whose family was among the earliest settlers in the Glen Williams area. It is also associated with Samuel Beaumont, a father of industry in Glen Williams who began to manufacture woollen goods at the Beaumont Knitting Mill in 1878. He made several additions to the mill over the years including a one-and-a-half-storey stone addition that fronts Main Street, which was added circa 1880.

The Beaumont Knitting Mill is the oldest remaining mill in Glen Williams. It is an example of the industrial style building common in small Ontario towns in the 19th century. Typical of this type of structure are the mill's coursed rubble limestone construction, symmetrical composition and mansard roof with dormers. The additions to the building reflect the evolution of industrial activities at the mill over time.

Source: Town of Halton Hills, By-law 1990-0045.

Character-Defining Elements

Character defining elements that contribute to the heritage value of the Beaumont Knitting Mill include its:
- three storey coursed rubble limestone exterior
- four sided mansard roof
- dormers
- projected eaves
- double hung 2 over 2 windows
- limestone lintels and sills
- circa 1880 one-and-a-half-storey stone addition