Down Mill Lane, Cromford, Derbyshire (3)

After spending some time at Cromford Mills we walked down a footpath to St. Mary's Church. Originally this was built to be used as Richard Arkwright's private family chapel and members of the family are buried in the family vault or in the churchyard. Although the church was closed we enjoyed the walk by the river bank and around the church grounds.

                                                               

      

Daughter and I wandered about taking photos. 

 This old ironwork arch had been decorated

with fresh white carnations and greenery

for a recent wedding.

Over the way on Mill Lane is one of the water channels

of Cromford Canal Wharf. 

It was built across part of the grounds of

Richard Arkwright's residence, Rock House.

The restored c 1794 counting house and canal wharf office 

are now an art studio and a cafe.

              

    

The Arkwright Society has renovated the buildings and

many of the original architectural features have been 

 retained such as the old wooden crane

and the canopies that kept the goods dry as 

they were loaded or unloaded.

It's a pleasant place to sit for a while or

take a walk along the towpath.

*******

View from the back garden - lilac, rambling clematic montana, laburnum

Cromford, Derbyshire (2)

                                                                       
                                                         The River Derwent
                                                               

                                                        The Cromford Canal

We really made a day of it when we drove down to Cromford.  There's so much to see there in  the village and the mill complex, but being our first visit on a lovely sunny day we were able to spend much of the time outside by the river and the nearby canal as well as looking around Richard Arkwright's Cromford Mills.

It's easy to understand why Richard Arkwright chose the area to build his mills when you see the water resource in the locality, although later on he did have problems when he lost a principal water supply.  He achieved a patent for his Roller Spinning Machine and when water power was applied it became known as the Water Frame.  It revolutionised the cotton spinning process to produce yarn strong enough to form the warp thread in woven cotton cloth.  Later he improved and patented all the pre-spinning processes giving him control of the entire production.  He became known as the Father of the Factory System.

The Mills, the watercourses, Mill Basin, weirs and culverts

Many mills were built and owned by the Arkwright family, but the one in the background of this photo was the first.

Just behind the trees is Rock House, Richard Arkwright's house. The manufacturing establishment of manager's house, warehouses, counting house and the mill buildings is considered to be the most important preserved textile heritage site in the world.  Hundreds of men, women and children were employed there at the peak of production.   In the early years women and children came from local villages as well as Cromford Village.  Later, as the production expanded, Arkwright employed workers from further afield and he built a hostel called The Barracks to house the boys and unmarried men who lived too far away to travel to and from work. It must have been extremely hard work, but Arkwright's concern was for the general welfare of his workers and records show that conditions were generally good for the standards of the time. The mills continued in operation until the 1840s.

This young lad, probably resting after a tour around the mill site, is sitting close to the area where the workers' hostel once stood.

The foundations of The Barracks building which burnt down in the 1960s

when it was still in use.  It had been leased out after Arkwright's mill

operations ceased in the 1840s. 

For many years there has been an extensive restoration project on the site undertaken by the Arkwright Society, a registered charity concerned with education and the conservation of industrial heritage. There are guided tours and an exhibition on the history of early spinning and weaving and  Sir Richard Arkwright, his family, his inventions and working methods.

There's no charge to explore the mill yard where there are many craft and second-hand goods shops and an art studio.  There was a plant sale on during the day we were there which pleased 'The Gardener'! 

Cromford, Derbyshire (1)

Last Thursday we drove down to Cromford, Derbyshire which is well known for being the place where Richard Arkwright, the inventor of a spinning machine used in the production of cotton goods, began a programme of building mills and developing the village to house his workers.  Arkwright had decided that water was an effective source of power and the area around the River Derwent was ideal for this purpose.

After a quick look around the mill complex we decided to have lunch in the village and return later to have a look at the mill buildings, the church by the river and nearby wharf side canal.

We had lunch in The Greyhound Inn which is a Grade II listed building built in 1789.  Its clock was the first public clock in Cromford.  Important visitors and traders would have stayed there and the Arkwrights (father and son) used it for business.  It was the centre of the entertainments that Richard Arkwright laid on for his workers.  

Behind the Greyhound Inn is the Greyhound Pond which is the lowest of the ponds constructed up the valley for the storage of water.  In the corner near Water Lane is a sluice gate that controls the water between the pond and other water courses in the village.  The cottages on the hill were once inhabited by lead miners and date from the 17th century and 18th century. The mill and buildings

were part of this little settlement on the hillside of Scarthin Rock.  The mill wheel still turns today (by electricity).  It was interesting to see it move around.

  

In the courtyard and water wheel building there's a business selling all types of woven baskets. 

We don't often get a photo taken together, but with a grandson enthusiastic to snap us.....

This peaceful spot is just a corner of an interesting village.  We moved on to spend some more time at the Cromford Mills. 

Open Arts, Open Gardens

With a love of the visual arts and gardening we were able to combine both interests during the recent May Bank Holiday weekend when the annual Derbyshire Open Arts event was taking place across the county and some private village gardens, whose owners participate in the Open Gardens Scheme, were open to the public to enjoy and support good causes.

Usually we visit our daughter-in-law's art studio in Derbyshire during that weekend, but as she exhibits in many venues we have other opportunities to spend time with her in some beautiful and interesting locations.

Instead, we went to Grindleford, which is a pretty village.  A couple had opened up their home so that we could enjoy wandering around the garden and view/ buy the husband's art work from his studio. The proceeds of the weekend will help towards fund raising so that the lady can join a medical team in Uganda where she will work as a volunteer for two weeks later in the year.  The husband also supports other charities through the sale of his paintings and printmaking.

Considering that the weather the days before that weekend had brought rain, wind and even hailstones, the flowers had perked up and it was sunny for the open day with refreshments taken in the garden and a plant sale included. (We bought some young lily plants. I've never grown them before).

These tulips were so pretty and they were my favourite flowers in the garden.  My husband was interested in the espaliered fruit trees by the fencing.  The lady has an allotment (vegetable garden plot) in the meadows near the river and sheltered by the grit stone escarpment that runs along the valleys in this area.  In this area the escarpment is Froggatt Edge. Some of the jutting smooth rocks have vertical long drops that challenge dedicated climbers.  On top of the escarpment are the heather moors that are enjoyed by hill walkers.

There are many picturesque villages still retaining a sense of history and old customs in the area.  Soon it will be the well dressing season when there are village festivals and villagers dress their historic wells with flowers and pictures made from flowers. Hopefully we shall be returning to at least one of these events in the month of June.

Beside still waters

Upper Derwent Water, Ladybower Reservoir

Woodland walks beside the Upper Derwent Reservoir

The wooden seat has a snail (with a very flat shell) or maybe it's a slug or beetle (?!)
 carved on the oak leaf.
There are huge eyeballs for support legs!

Good walking countryside in the Peak District

National Parkland.  Our picnic spot was 

 in the meadow by the reservoir

and woods (marked by an x).

We're enjoying the bird visitors coming into our garden.