Aqueduct cottage was home to a lengthsman and his family. Before Peter Nightingale was given permission to build his branch of the canal, he had to agree to separate the Leawood Cut from Cromford Canal with a lock. It was the lengthsman’s job to operate the lock, as well as maintain his section of the canal.
As the driving force behind the Mills (and the growing wealth of the entrepreneurs) sources of water were closely guarded. Entrepreneurs downstream wanted to make sure no more of the Derwent’s power was lost to the canal system. The lock was meant to stop water from the Cromford Canal from spilling into the Leawood branch, which had to be filled from the Lea Brook.
Do you think a live-in job be a perk or a pain? Would the idyllic setting make up for the lack of basic facilities?