Established in 1771, Arkwright's Mill at Cromford (just south of Matlock Bath) is recognised as an internationally important site of the Industrial Revolution. It was the world's first successful cotton spinning mill that was based on water power.

Arkwright became known as the 'Father of the factory system' and built housing in the village of Cromford for the workforce of his mill. It is generally acknowledged as the model for the factory system, hence his nickname. It was certainly not the first ever cotton factory but it was the first really successful one and the system was copied round the world. Hours were long, with 12 hour shifts and at the height of its production there were about 1000 people employed. Arkwright lived in the house opposite the mill, Rock House. He was a stickler for timing and the gates were closed at the exact time that a shift started - workers soon learned not to be late as they lost their pay for the day and were also fined a second day's pay.

One of the phrases I remember well from my history lessons as a youngster was 'give 'em a whiff of grapeshot'. I remember little about the things we were taught concerning the Industrial revolution ... something about Luddites, spinning Jennies and water frames (the latter was Arkwright's invention) and the installation of defences for cotton mills against rioting workers. Arkwright lost a mill to rioters and determined that it would not happen at Cromford so he installed a canon, loaded with the aforementioned grapeshot. Happily for all concerned, it was never fired.

The mill was enlarged in 1776 and by 1790, the main buildings had been completed. All but two of these have survived to the present day. All was trouble free at the mill for about 50 years or so, but declining fortunes meant that parts of the mill were put to other uses.

The mill was built here at Cromford because of the water supply. It was fed from a local brook but more imortantly, from the sough (drainage canal) from the Wirksworth lead mines. Why is that important? The water from the sough was warm and so it did not freeze in the harsh winters prevailing at the time - year round production guaranteed. Neat eh?

The entire site was bought in the 1920s by a paint pigments manufacturer, which continued at the mill until 1979. The site was bought by the Arkwright society who have made a fine job of renovating the mill. During the renovations, many of the water courses from the 1776 mill have been rediscovered.Restoration was not easy, the whole site had actually been condemned and much of the interesting industrial archaeology was buried under 20th century buildings. Additionally, thanks to the presence of the paint works, the site had no go areas where toxicity from lead and other heavy metals used for paint pigment manufacture was above safe levels.

UNESCO declared the stretch of the River Derwent in Derbyshire from the Masson Mills at Matlock Bath down through Belper, Milford, Darley Abbey as far as the Silk Mill (now a museum of technology and engineering) as a World Heritage site in recognition of the importance of the mills' contribution to global economy and the Industrial Revolution.

The now houses toilets, a visitor centre, museum, several gift/craft  shops, educational facilities and a large, light and airy tea room with outside seating.

There is a small car park on the opposite side of the road to mill and a second larger one next to the main entrance. The entrance opens onto a courtyard with the museum, charity shop andeducation room on the right and the tea rooms, shops and toilets on the left. The central area of Cromford Mill is even more open since all that is left of one of the buildings are the foundations. There are viewing platforms from which you can inspect the water channels. The other surviving mill buildings ring the courtyard and are in various stages of restoration.

For more details of opening times, tours, educational visits and prices, visit the web site for Arkwright’s Mill click here or contact the Arkwright Society as follows:

The Arkwright Society, Cromford Mill, Cromford, Derbyshire DE4 3RQ

Tel: +44 (0) 1629 824297 Fax: +44 (0) 1629 823256

The wikipedia article with a great deal more information about Arkwright's Cromford mill >>

Information about Cromford Village