Cromford, Derbyshire. The home of Richard Arkwright's first cotton mill.

Cromford

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B & B

Local Geography:

Greyhound Inn

Cromford is a substantial village which was constructed by Sir Richard Arkwright to house his employees at the nearby Cromford Mill. The village is centred around the Greyhound Inn and the market place in front of it, which Arkwright constructed in 1790 over the brooks which gave Cromford (crooked ford) its name. Behind this is the millpond, which was constructed to regulate the flow of water from Bonsall Brook to the mill, and in the other direction the village stretches right up the hill towards Black Rocks and Wirksworth.

It's a busy, bustling place at the junction of the A6 and the Via Gellia (A5012). There are several shops in the area around the Greyhound Inn, including the magnificent Scarthin Bookshop. On the other side of the A6 the road to Cromford Wharf and the Cromford Canal takes you to Arkwright's Mill, which is now a major visitor attraction, and the village church, which contains Arkwright's tomb and lies in a secluded spot near Willersley crag. Opposite the crag on the other side of the Derwent is Willersley Castle, built by Arkwright as his home and now a hotel. Just up the A6 toward Matlock is Arkwright's grand and imposing Masson Mill, which now houses a useful and interesting shopping complex.

Cromford Photo Gallery - click on the images to enlarge- Click Here for a slide show

0 - Cromford - the Greyhound Inn	1 - Cromford - Scarthin and millpond	2 - Richard Arkwright	3 - Cromford - Willersley Castle
4 - Cromford Canal and Wharf	5 - Black Rocks, Cromford	6 - Black Rocks climbers	7 - Matlock Bath and High Tor
8 - Matlock Bath	9 - Matlock Bath - Lead Mining Museum	10 - Matlock Bath - view to Riber Castle	11 - Matlock Bath and the River Derwent
12 - Masson Mills	13 - Cotton Doubling machine at Masson Mills	14 - Steeple Grange Light Railway engines	15 - Steeple Grange Light Railway
16 - Steeple Grange Light Railway train	17 - Cromford - High Peak Junction	18 - Bonsall Market square

Local places of interest
Arkwright's Mill, Cromford	Cromford Mill, Cromford, Derbyshire, was Richard Arkwright's first cotton mill and was one of the industrial revolution's most important symbols. This is where the revolution in the production of cotton began.
Black Rocks Country Park	Black Rocks Country Park, Cromford, Derbyshire, is an outcrop of sculpted gritstone rock which offers a spectacular situation above the Derwent Valley at Cromford.
Crich Tramway Museum	The National Tramway Museum offers a fun day out for all ages - the finest Transport museum of its type, with over 70 vintage steam, electric amd horse-drawn trams from all over the world to ride upon.
Ecclesbourne Valley Railway	Ecclesbourne Valley Railway is a project to reopen the railway between Wirksworth and Duffield. This is staffed and run by volunteers, based at Wirksworth Station.
Gulliver's Kingdom	Gulliver's Kingdom is a theme park for young families, in a situation overlooking Matlock Bath, Derbyshire.
Harboro Rocks	Harboro Rocks are an edge of magnesian limestone near Brassington, offering rock climbing and fantastic scenery. Harboro Cave was inhabited from the Ice Age.
Heights of Abraham	Heights of Abraham are a tourist centre with two show caves - Rutland Cavern and Great Masson Mine - plus a cable car and other attractions, above Matlock Bath, Derbyshire.
High Peak Junction and Cromford Canal	High Peak Junction is the former junction of the High Peak Railway and the Midland Railway, just south of Cromford
High Tor, Matlock	High Tor is a lofty limestone crag which towers over Matlock Bath, Derbyshire. There is a public park on top.
Lead Mining Museum, Matlock Bath	The Lead Mining Museum at Matlock Bath, Derbyshire, is owned by the Peak District Mines Historical Society and is in the Pavilion Building alongside the River Derwent. They also run the nearby Temple Mine, where you can see what a lead mine was like.
Masson Mills	Masson Mills, Matlock Bath are Sir Richard Arkwright's masterpiece, a magnificent early 19th century mill. The mill has been converted into a shopping village, with exhibition and conference centre, but it also has a working textile museum.
Middleton Top	Middleton Top is the last surviving winding engine from the now defunct Cromford and High Peak Railway, near Middleton by Wirksworth, Derbyshire Peak District.
National Stone Centre, Middleton by Wirksworth	The National Stone Centre, Middleton by Wirksworth, Derbyshire, has geological displays, fossils, stone walling courses, panning for gems and other activities.
Steeple Grange Light Railway	Steeple Grange Light Railway lies just off the High Peak Trail, just below Middleton by Wirksworth. It runs narrow gauge trains on lines used to serve the former quarries.
Wirksworth Church	Wirksworth Church, Derbyshire, has important and impressive Saxon carvings. Betti the Mercian monk may have been buried here, as are the Gell family and Anthony Lowe

Cromford, Derbyshire. The home of Richard Arkwright's first cotton mill.

Cromford, Derbyshire is a Peak District village where the cotton industry was born. Richard Arkwright built his first cotton mill here in 1790 and constructed most of the village as housing for his workers.

Cromford

Local places of interest