Listed Building record MDR3127 - Corn Mill and Related Buildings, Water Lane, Cromford
Type and Period (6)
- CORN MILL (Georgian to Early 20th Century - 1780 AD? to 1930 AD?)
- MILL HOUSE (Georgian to Early 20th Century - 1780 AD? to 1930 AD?)
- SLUICE (Georgian to Early 20th Century - 1780 AD? to 1930 AD?)
- SPILLWAY (Georgian to Early 20th Century - 1780 AD? to 1930 AD?)
- BOUNDARY WALL (Georgian to 21st Century - 1780 AD? to 2050 AD)
- BUILDING (Early 20th Century to 21st Century - 1930 AD? to 2050 AD)
Protected Status/Designation
Full Description
Corn mill and related buildings, Water Lane, Cromford, built in 1780.
'A fine complex of stone buildings consisting of a corn mill, drying kiln and granaries, all with slate roofs.' (1)
'Situated on the Bonsall Brook the stone corn mill, built about 1780, still stands below the mill pond, water having been supplied through pipes set through the dam wall. The mill ceased working in the 1930s and had been stripped of all its original machinery and two waterwheels. One pentrough is still to be seen as are the two wheelpits. It is presently owned by the Arkwright Society who plan to restore it, in due course, back to working order. A wooden hurst removed from Tideswell mill together with the wooden pit wheel and wallower are being installed. In addition the iron machinery, dating from about 1870 and taken from Longford mill in 1970 when this was converted into a house, will be installed here in due course.' (2)
'The water-powered former corn mill with its attached cottage was built by George Evans in 1780. It is constructed in coursed rubble and squared block gritstone with ashlar dressings; the cottage has Venetian windows. The kiln adjacent to the corn mill was in existence by 1797. The maltings, now the Cromford Venture Centre, was added in the 19th century. It is interesting to note that the corn mill was constructed within two years of the destruction of the Cromford corn mill to make way for the second corn mill.' (3)
Late 19th century and early 20th century OS maps show a larger mill pond that extends further west than at present. (4, 5, 6)
'Built around 1780 as a corn mill for the growing village. Site may have been used in earlier years for a water powered smelting mill. Disused since the 1930s. Now owned by the Arkwright Society [1997].' (7)
A heritage appraisal was carried out at the former corn mill in 2015, to provide supporting information for a planning application to convert the semi-redundant building in to a dwelling to use as a holiday let. As well as being nationally important in its own right, the former mill was found to make an important contribution to the wider setting of Water Lane and the northern extents of Cromford. It was one of the earliest purpose built industrial buildings in the village, being integral to the creation of a substantial dam to form Corn Mill Pond, c1780. (8)
From the National Heritage List for England:
'The following building shall be added: SK 28 57 CROMFORD WATER LANE
668-/2/10009 Former water-powered corn mill, attached cottage, ancillary building, boundary walling and associated spillway and shuttles
II
Former water-powered corn mill, attached cottage, ancillary building, boundary walling and associated spillway and shuttles. Late C18, with C19 additions, restored late C20. Coursed rubble and squared block gritstone, with ashlar dressings to cottage, and plain tile and slate roof coverings. Irregular plan form, with cottage, ancillary buildings and walling all attached to mill building. MILL; 2 storeys and loft above machine drive chamber in basement, and of 3 bays, with small mill pond to west. West elevation of 2 storeys, with off-centre doorway and flanking side wall brick chimney. Bracket for former shuttle mechanism to left. North and south gables face onto wheelpits and have massive squared block walling at wheelpit level, pierced by single openings for horizontal shafts from now removed water wheels to internal drive mechanisms. Above, central 2-light flush mullioned windows to each floor in both gables, the lights with louvred lower halves, each with 4 glazed panes above. Wheelpit to south gable with curved ashlar breast; the pit and adjacent yard are enclosed by a tall rubble wall with a tall buttress on the pond side. Interior with surviving drive mechanism, including vertical drive shaft and bevel gearing, some salvaged from Longford corn mill. Heavy spine beams support milling or stone floor above. COTTAGE; 'L'plan of 2 builds, 2 storey and attics, with gabled range to right of late C18 date, with quoins, coped gable with shaped kneelers, and a first floor venetian window. Semi-circular overlight to attic window, and central 6 over 6 pane sash to ground floor. Added C19 bay to left, with doorway against the quoining ofthe gabled range, and 4-pane sashes to ground and first floors. 2-light casement to attic, and 2 brick ridge chimneys. Interior much altered. ANCILLARY BUILDING; 'L' shaped range of 2 and 3 storeys, attached to east wall of mill. Asymmetrical roof to 2-bay former drying kiln to west, with small gabled ridge louvre. Narrow parallel range to south links with 3 storey former Malthus, which has large rectangular openings to upper floors, one with surviving louvres. Narrow unglazed vents to ground floor. Interior much altered, and being converted to visitor centre at the time of inspection. BOUNDARY WALLING WITH ASSOCIATED SPILLWAY AND SHUTTLES; rubble stone wall , curved to follow course of the Benzol Brook links rear wall of-drying kiln and front wall of mill. The northern section stands on the pond embankment, and incorporates the flat overflow spillway (spanned by a C20 timber footway) to the mill pond. Further north are 3 control shuttles with metal paddle gates to control the outflow from the pond. History; the mill complex is associated with the development of the settlement built by Sir Richard Arkwright at Cromford, to serve the Cromford Mills. Listed as a near complete example of a late C18 water-powered corn mill complex which survives with ancillary buildings and structures including the mill cottage.
Listing NGR: SK2923557025.'
(9)
Sources/Archives (9)
- <1> SDR19111 Index: Council for British Archaeology (CBA). CBA Industrial Archaeology Report Card. Cromford corn mill, 1971.
- <2> SDR19066 Bibliographic reference: Gifford, A. 1999. Derbyshire Watermills: Corn Mills.. A18, 34-35.
- <3> SDR18621 Unpublished document: Derwent Valley Mills (DVM) Nomination Steering Panel. 2000. Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage List Nomination Document. 53.
- <4> SDR18789 Map: Ordnance Survey (OS). 1882. OS County Series, 1st edition, scale 1:2500 (c. 25" to one mile). XXXIV - 6.
- <5> SDR18790 Map: Ordnance Survey (OS). 1896-1900. OS County Series, 2nd edition (1st revision), scale 1:2500 (c. 25" to one mile). XXXIV - 6, 1899.
- <6> SDR20367 Map: Ordnance Survey (OS). 1912-1921. OS County Series, 3rd edition (Second Revision), scale 1:2500 (25" to one mile). XXXIV - 6.
- <7> SDR18788 Bibliographic reference: Fowkes, D (ed.). 1997. Derbyshire Industrial Archaeology. A Gazetteer of Sites. Part IV. Derbyshire Dales.
- <8> SDR23954 Unpublished document: Jessop, O & Beauchamp, V (The JESSOP Consultancy). 2015. Cromford Corn Mill, Water Lane, Cromford, Derbyshire: Heritage Appraisal.
- <9> SDR19551 Listed Building File: Historic England. 2011. The National Heritage List for England. https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1272587?section=official-list-entry.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | SK 29235 57025 (point) |
|---|---|
| Civil Parish | CROMFORD, DERBYSHIRE DALES, DERBYSHIRE |
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (2)
- EDR4446
- EDR3865
Please contact the HER for details.
External Links (0)
Record last edited
Sep 5 2025 10:11PM