Listed Building record MDR3127 - Corn Mill and Mill Pond, Water Lane, Cromford
Type and Period (8)
- MILL POND (Georgian to Victorian - 1780 AD to 1900 AD)
- CORN MILL (Georgian to Victorian - 1780 AD to 1900 AD)
- WATERMILL (Georgian to Victorian - 1780 AD to 1900 AD)
- MILL HOUSE (Georgian to Victorian - 1780 AD to 1900 AD)
- WHEEL PIT (Georgian to Victorian - 1780 AD to 1900 AD)
- CORN DRYING KILN (Georgian to Victorian - 1790 AD to 1900 AD)
- MALTINGS (Georgian to Victorian - 1800 AD to 1900 AD)
- SLUICE (Georgian to Victorian - 1780 AD to 1900 AD)
Protected Status/Designation
Full Description
A fine complex of stone buildings consisting of a corn mill, drying kiln and granaries, all with slate roofs. (1)
Cromford Corn Mill is a Grade II listed building. The mill complex is associated with the development of the settlement built by Sir Richard Arkwright at Cromford, to serve the Cromford Mills. It is listed as a near complete example of a late 18th century water-powered corn mill complex which survives with ancillary buildings and structures including the mill cottage, drying kiln and former malthouse. The complex was built in the late 18th century with additions made in the 19th century and it was restored during the late 20th century. It is constructed from coursed rubble and squared block gritstone, with ashlar dressings to the cottage, and plain tile and slate roof coverings. It has an irregular plan form, with the cottage, ancillary buildings and walling all attached to the mill building. There is a small mill pond to the west of the mill. The interior of the mill contains surviving drive mechanism, some salvaged from Longford corn mill. The boundary walling with associated spillway and shuttles is also listed. (2)
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. (3)
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. (4)
Late 19th century and early 20th century OS maps show a larger mill pond that extends further west than at present. (5, 6, 7)
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]. (8)
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, c. 1780. See report for more details. (9)
Sources/Archives (9)
- <1> SDR19111 Index: Council for British Archaeology (CBA). CBA Industrial Archaeology Report Card. Cromford corn mill, 1971.
- <2> SDR19551 Listed Building File: Historic England. 2011. The National Heritage List for England. 3/2957/10009.
- <3> SDR19066 Bibliographic reference: Gifford, A. 1999. Derbyshire Watermills: Corn Mills.. A18, pp 34-35.
- <4> SDR18621 Unpublished document: Derwent Valley Mills (DVM) Nomination Steering Panel. 2000. Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage List Nomination Document. p 53.
- <5> SDR18789 Map: Ordnance Survey (OS). 1882. OS County Series, 1st edition, scale 1:2500 (c. 25" to one mile). XXXIV - 6.
- <6> 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.
- <7> SDR20367 Map: Ordnance Survey (OS). 1912-1921. OS County Series, 3rd edition (Second Revision), scale 1:2500 (25" to one mile). XXXIV - 6.
- <8> SDR18788 Bibliographic reference: Fowkes, D (ed.). 1997. Derbyshire Industrial Archaeology. A Gazetteer of Sites. Part IV. Derbyshire Dales.
- <9> SDR23954 Unpublished document: Jessop, O & Beauchamp, V (The JESSOP Consultancy). 2015. Cromford Corn Mill, Water Lane, Cromford, Derbyshire: Heritage Appraisal.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred SK 2915 5706 (195m by 114m) (Approximate) |
|---|---|
| Civil Parish | CROMFORD, DERBYSHIRE DALES, DERBYSHIRE |
| World Heritage Site | Derwent Valley Mills |
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (2)
- EDR4446
- EDR3865
Please contact the HER for details.
External Links (0)
Record last edited
May 5 2020 4:33PM