Coordinates: 53°06′29″N 1°33′40″W / 53.108°N 1.561°W
| Cromford | |
 Cromford Mill |
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  Cromford
Cromford shown within Derbyshire |
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| OS grid reference | |
|---|---|
| District | Derbyshire Dales |
| Shire county | Derbyshire |
| Region | East Midlands |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | MATLOCK |
| Postcode district | DE4 |
| Dialling code | 01629 |
| Police | Derbyshire |
| Fire | Derbyshire |
| Ambulance | East Midlands |
| EU Parliament | East Midlands |
| UK Parliament | West Derbyshire |
| List of places: UK • England • Derbyshire | |
Cromford is a large village in Derbyshire, England,
Contents |
History
It is one of the significant sites in the development of the Industrial Revolution. Here, Richard Arkwright built his cotton mill (Cromford Mill) to make use of the Water Frame — a development of a spinning machine produced by Thomas Highs (1718-1803) that pre-dated, and was probably the prototype for, the spinning jenny pioneered by James Hargreaves.
The factory buildings and accommodation for workers to staff the factories form part of the Derwent Valley Mills, which is recognised as a World Heritage Site for its importance.
The Cromford Canal – built to service the mills – is now in disuse, but has been designated an SSSI. The canal tow path can be followed from Cromford Wharf to High Peak Junction, and on to Whatstandwell and Ambergate. The Cromford and High Peak Railway, completed in 1831, ran from High Peak Junction to the Peak Forest Canal at Whaley Bridge. Its track bed now forms the High Peak Trail, a walk and cycle route which is joined by the Tissington Trail at Parsley Hay.
Cromford railway station is located on the Matlock-Derby Derwent Valley Line, and can be seen on the cover of the 1995 Oasis single Some Might Say.
The Gell family, who were local Hopton landowners heavily involved in the nearby Wirksworth lead mining, had the Via Gellia built to connect Cromford and Grangemill in the 18th C.
Present day
In late 2006, Anand Tucker used certain parts of Cromford, including its historic bookshop, for his film And When Did You Last See Your Father?, based on the autobiographical memoir by poet Blake Morrison. Colin Firth plays the adult Blake, with Jim Broadbent cast as his dying father.
A quarter of the German town Ratingen is named after Cromford, as this is where industrial pioneer Johann Gottfried Brügelmann 1783 erected the first factory outside England, using Arkwright's factory as an archetype. The factory today forms part of the Rheinisches Industriemuseum.
On the 17th of September 2009, a body was found in the boot of a taxi at Cromford railway station. Police have launched a murder investigation.
Notable Residents
- Alison Uttley, writer, was born near here[1] in 1884
- Storyteller Graham Langley is based in Cromford
Gallery
 Workers cottages in Cromford wiith "weavers' windows" on the top floor |
 The Greyhound Hotel built for Richard Arkwright in 1778 for the use of businessmen and others visiting the mills. |
 Cromford Pond built in 1785 as the pound for Cromford Mill. |
 This shuttle, locally known as "The Bear Pit" controlled the water from the sough into Cromford Pond. |
 A mid-nineteenth century water wheel for a mill grinding locally mined barytes . It is no longer used for any purpose but can be seen turning on occasion. |
References
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Cromford |
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