Belper North Mill facts for kids
The mill in 2006
|
|
 Location in Derbyshire
|
|
| Cotton | |
|---|---|
| Structural system | Industrialised iron framed 'fire-proof' brick |
| Location | Belper, Derbyshire, England |
| Client | William Strutt |
| Coordinates | 53°01′42″N 1°29′13″W / 53.0282°N 1.4869°W |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1804 |
| Floor count | 6 |
| Floor area | 127 feet (39 m) long by 31 feet (9.4 m) wide |
| Floor usage | In 1804
|
| Design team | |
| Awards and prizes and listings | World Heritage Site |
| Water Power | |
| Wheels | 1 |
| Diameter / width of water wheel | 18 feet (5.5 m) / 23 feet (7.0 m) |
| Carding Equipment | 136 |
| Ring Frames path | 80 spinning frames with 4236 spindles |
| Other Equipment | 1812
|
Belper North Mill, also known as Strutt's North Mill, is a very important building in Belper, England. It is part of the Derwent Valley Mills, which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001. This means it's a special place recognized for its global importance.
The mill is located in Belper, a town in Derbyshire. It sits about halfway between the cities of Derby and Matlock.
The first North Mill was built in 1786 by Jedediah Strutt. Sadly, it was destroyed by a fire in 1803. His son, William Strutt, quickly built a new mill in 1804. This new building used the old foundations. It is one of the oldest buildings in the world that was built to be "fire-proof" using an iron frame.
Today, the North Mill needs some care. In 2015, a report said it needed repairs to stay in good condition.
Contents
Building a Fire-Proof Mill
The North Mill is 127 feet (39 m) long and 31 feet (9.4 m) wide. It stands 63 feet (19 m) tall. It also had two smaller sections, or "wings," that were 41.5 by 34 feet (12.6 by 10.4 m) each.
Old Cotton mills often caught fire. Cotton dust can easily catch fire, and wooden floors and ceilings would burn quickly. This is what happened to the first mill. To prevent another disaster, William Strutt tried new ideas to make the mill fire-proof.
Instead of wooden beams, he used strong cast iron beams. Steel wasn't available yet. Between these iron beams, low arches were built using bricks. Rubble was then used to make the floor flat, which was also made of brick. This design helped stop fires from spreading between floors.
The iron beams were shaped like a "turtle back" to make them extra strong but not too heavy. They were held up by cast iron columns, stacked one on top of the other. Hidden wrought iron ties helped keep the brick arches stable. The building had 15 main sections, and the wings had six sections each.
The North Mill is one of the very first buildings to use an iron frame. This technology was a big step forward. It led to the steel frames used in today's tall skyscrapers. The roof was made of slate and had special gutters inside.
The Powerful Waterwheel
The mill used a large waterwheel to power its machines. This "breast-shot" waterwheel was 18 feet (5.5 m) tall and 23 feet (7.0 m) wide. It was built by Thomas Hewes.
This special waterwheel was lighter than older types. It got its power from the edge, which made it more efficient. The power then went to the machines through a vertical shaft. This shaft was connected to horizontal shafts on each floor. Leather belts then linked these shafts to the individual machines.
How Cotton Became Thread
Each of the mill's five main floors was used for a different step in making cotton thread.
- Ground Floor: Raw cotton arrived in large bales. These bales were unloaded here. Machines then opened and cleaned the cotton. They prepared it into a flat, soft sheet called a 'lap'.
- Third and Fourth Floors: The 'lap' was taken to these floors. Here, over 130 carding engines were used. Carding machines have many tiny wires that untangle the cotton fibers. This creates a long, continuous rope of cotton called a 'sliver'. Next, 16 drawing frames straightened the fibers even more. They pulled the 'slivers' into thinner 'rovings' and added a slight twist. These 'rovings' were then coiled into large cans.
- First and Second Floors: The 'rovings' were moved to these floors. Originally, 34 Arkwright water frames were here. These machines could spin 4,236 'rovings' into thread at the same time! They continuously twisted the fibers together to make strong threads, which were collected on small bobbins. Later, mule spinning machines were added to make even finer types of thread. The bobbins of spun thread were then sent to the fifth floor.
- Fifth Floor: On this floor, reeling frames wound the spun thread into 'skeins'. These were ready to be dyed at a factory nearby. Doubling frames were also used here. They twisted two or more single threads together to make thicker and stronger thread. The amount of twist changed how the thread would be used.
- Attic: The very top floor, the attic, was later used as a schoolroom for children.
Mill Machinery
The Belper North Mill housed many machines to process cotton:
- 80 spinning frames, each with 4,236 spindles
- 136 carding engines
- 16 draw frames
- 4 stretching frames
- Plus reeling, doubling, and twisting frames
Green Power: Hydro-electric Plant
In 1998, a modern hydro-electric power generator was installed at the mill. This system uses the power of water, just like the old waterwheel, to create electricity. It produces 350 kilowatts (kW) of power. This power comes from two 175 kW water turbines. It shows how the mill continues to use renewable energy today.
See also
- Grade I listed buildings in Derbyshire
- Listed buildings in Belper
