List of mills in Longdendale and Glossopdale facts for kids

The towns of Glossop in Derbyshire and Tintwistle in Cheshire, England, were once home to many important mills. These mills were like big factories where things like cotton and wool were made into cloth. The very first mills were built way back in the 1760s. They used the power of the River Etherow and its smaller streams to run their machines.

Over time, these mills changed a lot. Some were bought by new owners, some were torn down, and others were updated to use steam power instead of water. Many mills joined together to form bigger businesses. They also changed their names and what they produced. The early water-powered mills were usually smaller than the huge steam-powered mills that appeared later in places like Greater Manchester.

What Were These Mills For?

These mills were a big part of the Industrial Revolution in England. They helped make clothes and other fabric items much faster than people could by hand. This meant more products could be sold, and many people found work in the mills.

How Mills Changed Over Time

At first, mills relied on water power. This meant they had to be built right next to rivers or streams. As technology improved, especially with the invention of the steam engine, mills could be built almost anywhere. Steam power allowed mills to be much larger and produce even more.

Some mills were used for spinning cotton into thread, while others wove the thread into fabric. There were also "print works" where patterns were added to the cloth, and "bleach works" where fabric was made white.

Famous Mills in the Area

Many mills had interesting stories. Some were destroyed by fire and rebuilt. Others were submerged when new reservoirs were built to supply water to nearby towns.

Waterside and Bridge Mills

This was a group of mills near the River Etherow. They started around 1760 and were very important. Over the years, they were owned by different companies, including Turner and Thornley, and later John and William Sidebottom.

Bottoms Mill

Built in 1795, Bottoms Mill was eventually submerged under the Bottoms Reservoir around 1870. This shows how the landscape changed to support the growing towns and industries.

Dinting Vale Print Works

Originally known as Boggart Mill, this site became famous as Dinting Vale Print Works when Edmund Potter took it over in 1825. They were known for printing beautiful patterns on fabric.

Howardtown Mills

Located in Howardtown, these mills were a major employer. They were known for producing textiles and stood for many years.

Wrens Nest Mill

Wrens Nest Mill in Glossop was a very large mill. It was first built by Lord Howard, but later sold to the Ellisons. In 1822, Francis Sumner took over and built a huge six-story mill. At its busiest, Wrens Nest Mill employed about 1,400 people! It had a massive number of spindles (123,000) for spinning thread and looms (2,541) for weaving fabric. The mill stopped training new workers after a fire in 1955.

Life in the Mills

Working in the mills was often hard. People, including children, worked long hours. The air could be dusty, and the machines were noisy. However, the mills also brought jobs and helped the towns of Glossop and Tintwistle grow and become important industrial centers.

The End of an Era

Over the 20th century, many of these mills closed down as the textile industry changed. Some were demolished, while others found new uses, like becoming homes or other businesses. The history of these mills reminds us of a time when water and steam power transformed how things were made and how people lived.

Images for kids

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  Howardtown Mills

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  Lymefield Mill

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  Mill Town (Wood's Mill)

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  Meadow Mill

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  Wrens Nest Mill