Listed Building record MDR9753 - Weir, Darley Abbey, Derby

By the mid 1770s, Thomas Evans had acquired paper, corn, flint and other mills operating on the west bank of the River Derwent at Darley Abbey [see SMR 18955]. He was reputedly encouraged by Richard Arkwright - one of the customers of his Derby bank - to embark on cotton manufacture and in 1782 he built a stone bridge across the river and constructed a weir to divert water to power the mills. (1) Part of the southern section of the weir is marked as 'Fish Weir' on late 19th and early 20th century OS maps. (2-4)