Heritage Open Day-A hidden gem of British history from architecture to industrial invention-Torr Vale Mill, Derbyshire

About

Torr Vale Mill is a Grade II* listed cotton mill and a true piece of British history. Sympathetically renovated in an idyllic setting you can take a tour and view the transformation from the old cotton looms to refurbished rooms they worked in.

Torr Vale Mill is recorded as the longest continuous period of cotton production in Britain, ending the trade in 2000. Family-owned; it is a collection of multiple adjoining buildings and a prime example of multi-phase integration from the 1780s to the late 1900s. It is rich in features from its past industrial heritage including brick vaulted ceilings, large spacious rooms, headrace arches, cast iron columns and bearing boxes, and not forgetting some of the cotton looms and the original mill chimney.

The Mill nestles in the Goyt Valley by the River Goyt and has seen over 200 years of invention implementation. Originally water powered via two large waterwheels, it was then powered through steam. Much of the mill has now been renovated and the internals are usually closed to the public. The guided tour will show where the previous industrial innovations linked with the working mill. Tours will provide commentary about the history of the mill including its great fire of 2001 showing how tragedy can be transformed into triumph. Visitors can venture into the Wheel Room where the mill is once again water-powered through new technology, into the main Cotton Mill which is now an events space and offices and on the top floor the Needlework Room with its glass roof, a real contrast to the floors below and into the out-houses, once integral to the cotton works now holiday cottages and commercial lettings including a bar/restaurant and artisan cheese and craft beer shop.

Max 15 people per tour/session. 30 mins - 1 hour Whilst visiting, you could visit the Shrub Club on site - a chic dog-friendly boutique bar and restaurant. Opposite is The Cheese Wheel, a delicatessen-style shop specialising in delicious artisan cheese, craft beer and natural wine. You could also take a stroll along the Millennium Walkway which sweeps around the mill site and a further along is the Torrs Hydro – a reverse Archimedes screw turbine, another fine example of using water to generate power. With plenty of pubs and cafes in New Mills Town, there’s plenty to make a day trip out to Torr Vale Mill! Contact for the day: Rob Hawkins or Philippa Cunningham 01663 748760