Cornish Works: 13 eerie photos show extent of decay inside historic Sheffield factory on the market for £2m

The eerie images give a glimpse inside the Grade II-listed century Cornish Works in Kelham Island, which was built for George Barnsley & Sons in around 1850.

The extensive property on Cornish Street, in one of Sheffield’s trendiest neighbourhoods, is listed for sale with a £2 million asking price.

The listing, by Colloco, describes how George Barnsley & Sons was once the world’s largest manufacturer of tools for the shoe-making industry, and the property comprises a ‘unique mixture’ of buildings.

It calls the site ‘one of the last substantial development opportunities in the area’, and says it is ‘suitable for a variety of mixed use proposals’.

These photos, shared by the team of urban explorers behind the popular Dare to Tread Facebook page, show how much work is needed to breathe new life back into the historic works, which has been likened to something out of Harry Potter.

George Barnsley & Sons was founded in 1836 and initially specialised in manufacturing rasps and files for the shoe-making industry, before diversifying to make knife blades and other shoe-making tools.

The business was originally situated on Wheeldon Street before moving to the larger Cornish Works site.

The firm continued to operate out of Cornish Works until 2003, before moving to a factory on Mowbray Street.

George Barnsley & Sons is today a wholly owned subsidiary of Mowbray Manufacturing Co Ltd.

It is still based on Mowbray Street, where it continues to produce shoe and leather craft knives and tools, while its sister company Woodware Repetitions turns out wooden tool handles.

Cornish Works has been empty since George Barnsley & Sons moved out two decades ago.

These photos reveal the extent of dereliction there today, with crumbling plasterwork, vegetation sprouting from the brickwork, smashed windows, and graffiti scrawled on the walls.