Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site

 

On the Market Place you can see the Greyhound Hotel, built by Richard Arkwright in 1778 to accommodate his friends and business colleagues. To the right of the Greyhound is a row of six single storey shops built in 1782.

Behind the Hotel is the Greyhound Pond where Arkwright stored water to power his mills.

In December 2001, the Derwent Valley Mills in Derbyshire was inscribed on the World Heritage List. This international designation confirms the outstanding importance of the area as the birthplace of the factory system where in the 18th Century water power was successfully harnessed for textile production.

Find out more information about the history of Cromford Mills here.

You can also find out what else there is to see and do in Cromford here.

From the Market Place walk up Cromford Hill. On the left are The Arkwright Stores, which has always been a double bow-fronted building.

Further along there is a row of houses slightly set back, called Victoria Terrace, built by Sir Richard’s son, also called Richard. Note the unusual cast iron windows.

On the right at the junction with Alabaster Lane is the oldest house in Cromford reputably with a Tudor ceiling painting inside.

In December 2001, the Derwent Valley Mills in Derbyshire was inscribed on the World Heritage List. This international designation confirms the outstanding importance of the area as the birthplace of the factory system where in the 18th Century water power was successfully harnessed for textile production.

Find out more information about the history of Cromford Mills here.

You can also find out what else there is to see and do in Cromford here.

North Street is Arkwright’s most famous housing (1776). It is amongst the world’s first industrial housing. The houses had three storeys and three rooms.  Note the large windows that remain on the third storey of some of houses. In these attics men of the village worked at looms or framework knitting machines.

In December 2001, the Derwent Valley Mills in Derbyshire was inscribed on the World Heritage List. This international designation confirms the outstanding importance of the area as the birthplace of the factory system where in the 18th Century water power was successfully harnessed for textile production.

Find out more information about the history of Cromford Mills here.

You can also find out what else there is to see and do in Cromford here.