Bamford Mill

Summer greens at the pretty weir at Bamford Mill. The wind on this day was low enough to capture some great reflections, but there was still enough of a breeze to show some motion in the surrounding foliage, a perfect summers afternoon!

About Bamford Mill:

Bamford Mill was originally operated as a cotton mill in 1782 by local farmer and miller, Christopher Kirk. The mill has a rich and varied history and has now been repurposed as very desirable housing on the banks of the River Derwent.

Information below taken from Derbyshireheritage.co.uk

“Cotton mills which evolved out of former village spinning workshops included those at Bamford and Edale, which, like that at Calver, were both developed on the sites of earlier corn mills. The one at Bamford (SK 205833) was operated from 1782 as a cotton mill by a local farmer and miller, Christopher Kirk. The original mill probably had four storeys but was destroyed by fire on 24 October 1791. It was rebuilt by H. C. Moore, the weir being constructed with rocks from Bamford Edge. It was probably at the time of subsequent rebuilding that power spinning was introduced. The mill was originally powered by the River Derwent but in the nineteenth century a beam engine was installed; it was replaced in 1907 by a horizontal steam engine made by John Musgrave and Sons Ltd of Bolton which continued in use until 1965. Water power was used for generating electricity by two reaction turbines generating 45hp and 22hp respectively-one of them transferred here from Edale Mill-and until 1951 the mill manufactured its own gas supply. In 1857 S. M. Moore and Son had a 60 hp steam engine and employed 230 hands. The mill was sold in 1885 to Hamilton Cash of Mansfield and in 1902 to Fine Spinners and Doublers Ltd. In July 1965 it was closed down by Courtaulds when employing 120 people. From 1902 the mill belonged to the firm of Fine Spinners and Doublers Ltd and was used for the doubling and reeling of cotton which was brought here from Manchester ready carded and spun; in 1963 the business was taken over by Courtaulds and closed down in October 1965. In 1966 the premises were bought by the Carbolite Company Ltd, and after conversion were used for the manufacture of electric furnaces and laboratory and research equipment.”