To stroll through Cromford is, for the most part, to explore the town Richard Arkwright built. Born in the early 18th century and known as the father of the Industrial Revolution, Arkwright single-handedly transformed Cromford from a modest village to a pulsating mill town. Starting in 1771, Arkwright built the world’s first water-powered cotton spinning mill on the banks of the River Derwent, followed by the town to support the workers and families of the mill. The terraced houses on North Street date from this era, as do the buildings around the market square. Arkwright can even be thanked for the pub at the Greyhound Hotel, one of three town watering holes. Arkwright himself is buried in St. Mary’s Church, which dates from 1797.
Following years of dedicated restoration by the Arkwright Society, Cromford Mill is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The cotton spinning mill ceased operation in the 19th century, but parts of the site continued as a dye factory until 1979. While original machines from the mill are now on display at the Hemshore Museum in Lancashire, as well as London’s Science Museum, the Cromford Mill buildings give an idea of the scale and ambition of a working factory that once employed over 1,000 workers and made Arkwright the richest untitled man in Britain. The mill is open every day of the year except Christmas Day; entrance is free, but there is a fee for tours.
Work on the Cromford Canal began in the 1790s to connect the fast-growing town with Nottingham. Although much of the waterway is now in poor condition and the canal ceased operation in 1944, the original canal ran 14 miles to Erewash and required engineering feats typical of the era’s ambition, with four tunnels and 14 locks. The Friends of Cromford Canal have restored sections of the canal, and visitors can now enjoy a 5-mile stretch of towpath from Cromford Wharf to Ambergate, an area rich in wildlife including water voles, grass snakes and dragonflies.
The High Peak railway was built in the 1830s to link the Cromford Canal to the Peak Forest Canal, with carriages initially pulled by horses before the age of steam took over. Today, the railway is defunct, having been closed in 1963, but the path of the tracks make for a challenging hike. A steep slope leads out of the main canal car park, eventually providing excellent views over the Derwent valley and surrounding woodland. The trail also passes in front of Black Rocks Country Park on Cromford Moor, where an imposing cluster of windswept granite rocks attracts climbers and picnickers.
