Monument record MDR5370 - Old Silk Mill, Markham Road, Chesterfield
Type and Period (2)
Protected Status/Designation
- None recorded
Full Description
Markham Road, Silk Mill. 4-storeyed brick mill with a basement. The oldest surviving water pound textile factory in the country, circa 1760. In 1961 it was in use as a shoe warehouse, but its future was in doubt (1-2)
The early water-powered mill in Chesterfield known as the Old Silk Mill was demolished in September 1967. Before destruction, a complete survey of the building was carried out, together with an excavation under the lowest floor of the building to determine the position and dimensions of the water wheel which had powered the building down to the late 19th century. The stone-lined wheel pit was completely excavated and the wheel size and water levels determined. An earlier phase was recognized, proving that the original water wheel had been undershot and later replaced by a low breast wheel. Dating material from the sealed layer between the two levels will help to date the change-over. The work was undertaken during a Summer School course in industrial archaeology organized by the University of Nottingham. (3)
Sources/Archives (5)
- <1> SDR10000 Index: North Derbyshire Archaeological Trust (NDAT). North Derbyshire Archaeological Trust Index. 0702.
- <2> SDR13903 Unpublished document: Smith, D. M.. 1961. Smith D M 1961 Geography Dept Manchester University.
- <3> SDR5802 Article in serial: East Midlands Committee of Field Archaeologists. 1974. East Midlands Archaeological Bulletin, 1974. page 7.
- <4> SDR19111 Index: Council for British Archaeology (CBA). CBA Industrial Archaeology Report Card. Silk mill, Chesterfield.
- <5> SDR18790 Map: Ordnance Survey (OS). 1896-1900. OS County Series, 2nd edition (1st revision), scale 1:2500 (c. 25" to one mile). Derbyshire XXV.6.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | SK 38329 70829 (point) (Approximate) |
|---|---|
| Civil Parish | CHESTERFIELD, CHESTERFIELD, DERBYSHIRE |
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (4)
- EDR440
- EDR3479
- EDR3510
- EDR3659
Please contact the HER for details.
External Links (0)
Record last edited
Mar 8 2017 4:32PM