Monument record MDR572 - Valehouse deserted village (submerged), Valehouse Reservoir, Tintwistle
Type and Period (3)
- DESERTED SETTLEMENT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- COTTON MILL (Georgian - 1775 AD to 1775 AD)
- CHIMNEY (Georgian - 1775 AD to 1775 AD)
Protected Status/Designation
- None recorded
Full Description
Area centred: (SK 03709780) In one of the reservoirs near Tintwistle, which supply Manchester, a whole village of 400 inhabitants was removed to make way for this artificial lake. Now nothing remains except a factory chimney in the middle of the reservoir to mark the site of the former village of Vale House. (1) (Area centred SK 035976) Vale House & Mills. (2) There is no visible trace of the village or factory. (3)
Vale House Mill was constructed by Samuel Oldknow in 1775. It was the earliest cotton spinning and weaving mill to be constructed in the Longdendale Valley. The mill was situated in line with Ashfield Gutter on the north side of the river Etherow and about the midway point of Vale House Reservoir. Vale House was a village of 100 cottages with a population of over 600 people; the mill at that time employed over 600 people many of the employees travelled from Tintwistle. Vale House Mill boasted extensive premises with 31 rooms, 2 Carding Rooms, 9 Spinning Rooms, 3 Weaving Rooms and 2 Blowing Rooms. The mill was powered originally by water and later by steam. The Vale House complex was sold in 1795 to Robert and John Thornley. The Mills next changed hands in 1834, to Mr Joseph Cheetam, then again in 1851 to William Hobbs & Co. The hamlet of Vale House appears to have been a self-reliant community in many aspects. Cottages had been specially built for the mill-workers and a large house had been built for the mill manager. The village possessed its own shops and stores. Vale House enjoyed its own independent day school, which was built at the edge of the village. The school house was also used by the villagers as a social centre, reading room and village institute. There is little doubt that there was no mass exodus from Vale House. The slow abandonment of the village began in the 1860s with the realisation that Vale House would be included in the chain of reservoirs as part of a proposed new water supply for Manchester. Construction of the Vale House Reservoir was completed in July 1869. The Vale House Mills chimney protruded from the water for some years and was not demolished until 1887 when the Manchester to Sheffield Railway Company became worried for the stability of moving trains which could overturn if passengers crowded over to the reservoir side of the train to catch a glimpse of the chimney. (5)
Sources/Archives (5)
- <1> SDR1392 Bibliographic reference: Beaumont, W. 1877. Appleton After the Norman Conquest.
- <2> SDR3452 Map: Bryant's Map of Chester 3 5 1831 1 1/4" to 1 mile.
- <3> SDR6410 Personal Observation: F1 JHW 03-MAR-64.
- <4> SDR14143 Index: NDAT. 1918. 1918.
- <5> SDR21119 Bibliographic reference: Quayle, T. 2006. The Cotton Industry in Longdendale and Glossopdale. p71-81.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred SK 0367 9778 (199m by 213m) |
|---|---|
| Civil Parish | CHARLESWORTH, HIGH PEAK, DERBYSHIRE |
| Civil Parish | TINTWISTLE, HIGH PEAK, DERBYSHIRE |
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (1)
- EDR781
Please contact the HER for details.
External Links (0)
Record last edited
Nov 22 2017 4:53PM