• Andrew's TravelsDerbyshire; The Peak DistrictTraveler
    Cromford; View over Cromford Pond, built in 1785 as the pound for Cromford Mill
    Cromford; View over Cromford Pond, built in 1785 as the pound for Cromford MillCromford; A mid-19th century water wheel for a mill grinding locally mined barytesCromford; Willersley Castle dominates the hill on the east side of the River DerwentCromford; St Mary's Church, built between 1792 and 1797 by Richard ArkwrightCromford; Inside the ChurchCromford Mill; the world's first water-powered cotton spinning millCromford Mill yard; the sluice on the mill yardCromford Mill: The water wheel has been refurbished and provides energy for the site nowCromford Mill; Cotton spinning machineCromford Wharf on the Cromford Canal; The Gothic WarehouseMasson Mill: This is on the River Derwent, and was more powerful than Cromford MillMasson Mill; home to a working textile museum, unfortunately closed todayMasson Mill; Inside the Visitor Centre

    Cromford

    August 15 in England ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    We leave our cottage in Eyam and head off for 2 nights in Wirksworth via Cromford, where we stop off.

    Cromford is a picturesque, historic village, and part of the UNESCO-listed World Heritage Site Derwent Valley Mills; the village is famous as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, and features one of Sir Richard Arkwright’s pioneering water-powered cotton mills, We have a walk around the village before visiting Cromford Mill (1771), followed by Masson Mill (1783), also an Arkwright Mill, on the northern fringe of the village. Whereas Cromford Mill was powered by water from the Bonsall Brook and the Cromford Sough, Masson Mill was powered from the River Derwent and therefore had more power. Masson Mill and its Textile Museum were unfortunately closed due to staff illness. See captions on photos for details.

    From here, we drive on to Wirksworth.    Read more