Monument record MDR9998 - Mold's Wharf and Cottage, Cromford Canal, Crich Chase, Crich

A simple stone cottage built directly on the towpath and sandwiched between the canal and the railway. It is of two storeys and constructed from rough coursed gritstone with stone slates, clay ridges and chimney stacks, re-built in brick. Substantial canal coping stones and stone setts between the canal and the cottage demarcate the canal wharf. The house pre-dates the canal, if the 1776 date stone on the south gable is correct. John & Charles Mold operated an iron foundry on a site on the far bank of the Derwent in the 1760s. It is thought that the wharf was built to serve this, with the original construction of the canal in 1792. A building is shown in this position on the 1811 survey, with a broad track leading up to it over a river bridge from what was then 'Hurt's Forge'. There was no road or railway at this time. The 1878 Ordnance Survey map shows access along a similar route, now crossing the turnpike road, and a very broad bridge across the railway adjacent to the building. The original wharf has expanded to allow access to railway sidings. The house has a main range of two storeys, with a stable (until the early 20th century) to the south end. There is a single storey stone lean-to kitchen to the north which has been added since 1898. A large concrete stanchion against the south gable took a gas pipeline over the canal. The south-west boundary is formed by a high railway retaining wall which drops directly down to the tracks. Detached stone outbuildings are shown on the 1898 OS map within the curtilage to the north and are still standing. (1) The building was assessed for listing by English Heritage in July 2009. However, it was not added to the list for various reasons. These included the fact that its development could not be clearly linked to that of the Cromford Canal, especially as its datestone suggests an earlier origin. It also pre-dates the railway line and is not known to have had any railway function. Furthermore it was considered that the building displays no specific constructional or plan form characteristics which identify it as an example of the 18th century vernacular architecture of the region. (2)