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Site record MDR7739 - Milford Foundry (site of), Hopping Hill, Milford

Type and Period (2)

  • (Georgian to 21st Century - 1800 AD to 2005 AD)
  • (Georgian to Victorian - 1745 AD to 1900 AD)

Protected Status/Designation

  • World Heritage Site

Full Description

The Glow Worm Foundry is on the site of an earlier one worked by Strutt in the 1780s to produce much of his ironwork for buildings, waterwheels and mills. There was a large weir here in 1745. The copings of the drystone walls by the mill tail of the cotton mills are 'skulls' from ladles of cast iron, presumably from this foundry. (1) The site is shown as 'Iron Foundry' on a late 19th century OS map, as 'Brass & Iron Foundry' on early 20th century OS maps and 'Derwent Foundry (Iron)' on a mid 20th century OS map. (2, 3, 4, 5) The Strutts started purchasing land in Milford in March 1781 and immediately began to construct the first structure in what was to become a complex of cotton mills and bleach works. At this point along its course the river had long been put to use to provide the power for industrial processes and Strutt's first acquisitions were two of these sites, the New Mills and the Makeney Forges and the Hopping Hill Meadow, which included a fulling mill. The industrial sites which were for so long the economic hub of the community have been reduced by the clearance of c. 1960 to a handful of later buildings and a range of archaeological features. Only the foundry the Strutts established c. 1825, on Hopping Hill Meadow, has continued in use in the ownership of Hepworth Heating. (6)

Sources/Archives (6)

  • <1> Bibliographic reference: Nixon, F. 1969. The Industrial Archaeology of Derbyshire. p.269.
  • <2> Map: Ordnance Survey (OS). 1882. OS County Series, 1st edition, scale 1:2500 (c. 25" to one mile). XLV-5.
  • <3> Map: Ordnance Survey (OS). 1896-1900. OS County Series, 2nd edition (1st revision), scale 1:2500 (c. 25" to one mile). XLV-5, 1898.
  • <4> Map: Ordnance Survey (OS). 1912-1921. OS County Series, 3rd edition (Second Revision), scale 1:2500 (25" to one mile). XLV-5.
  • <5> Map: Ordnance Survey (OS). 1937-38. OS County Series, Third Revision, scale 1:2500 (c. 25" to one mile). XLV-5.
  • <6> Unpublished document: Derwent Valley Mills (DVM) Nomination Steering Panel. 2000. Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage List Nomination Document. p 70-1.

Map

Location

Grid reference Centred SK 3482 4551 (230m by 321m)
Civil Parish BELPER, AMBER VALLEY, DERBYSHIRE

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (2)

  • EDR2294
  • EDR2293

Please contact the HER for details.

External Links (0)

Record last edited

Aug 6 2019 4:49PM

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