Darley Abbey Mills (North Complex) Building to North West of Site Known As Fire Station and Building to the East

Details

893/0/10093 OLD LANE 13-FEB-67 Darley Abbey Darley Abbey Mills (North complex), Building to north west of site, known as Fire Station and Building to the east (Formerly listed as: OLD LANE Darley Abbey Darley Abbey Mills (East Mill, Middle Mill, Long Mill, West Mill, Gassing Shed, Polishing Shop, Dyeing Shop, Boiler House, Chimney, Canteen)) (Formerly listed as: OLD LANE Darley Abbey 1-5 Cottages) (Formerly listed as: OLD LANE Darley Abbey Darley Abbey Mills (East Mill, Middle Mill West Mill, Finishing House, Enquiry Office, Toll House, Cottages and Other Buildings))

II

A pair of buildings forming part of an extensive, multi-phase cotton textile manufacturing complex, partially in use as small industrial estate at time of inspection.
c.1820, enlarged late C19 and further altered early C20. Built by the Evans family of Darley Abbey.
PLAN: The complex forms the northern yard of manufacturing complex sub-divided by Old Lane and powered originally by watercourses flowing through the site, fed by the River Derwent. It is formed by a functionally related group of buildings identified as FIRE STATION, and BUILDING TO EAST. The eastern part of the complex has accretional structures adjoining related to the development of the site but not of special interest.
FIRE STATION: EXTERIOR 4 bay single storey brick built and slate roofed range built on an irregular plan to ease the movement of traffic around the site. A fifth bay at the south end is a mid-C19 addition.
INTERIOR: Trusses to metal-framed roof have a cast-iron tie-beam and collar of inverted section, linked by a wrought iron king-rod. The purlins, also of cast iron, are fish- bellied. The roof of the later fifth bay has timber purlins.
HISTORY The original purpose of the building has not been identified, the present name is later. The metal-framed roof similar to those elsewhere on the site is thought to date from the 1820s or 1830s.
BUILDING TO EAST: EXTERIOR: 4 bays, single storey, brick built block of 2 main phases. The earlier part thought to be a drying shed is a gable structure of 4 bays fronted by an addition to the north west which has chamfered corners to ease traffic movement in the yard.
INTERIOR: The earlier building has timber roof trusses while the addition is covered by a metal framed roof of 5 bays each truss consisting of a cast-iron tie-beam, principals and raked struts and a wrought-iron king-rod. The common rafters, ridge and fish-bellied purlins are also cast iron, believed to date to the 1820s or 1830s.


This complex of structures forms part of the extensive textile manufacturing site at Darley Abbey which traded under the name of Boars Head Mills. The complex as an entity is exceptional in its completeness of survival, and displays important aspects of the development of fire-proofing technology for textile factories. The site forms part of the closely related network of pioneer textile manufacturing sites in the Derwent Valley; Thomas Evans was an associate of Richard Arkwright of Cromford and the Evans family was related by marriage to the Strutt family who had mills in Belper, Milford and Derby. Darley Abbey sits alongside these settlements in terms of both historic and architectural significance, the mill complex retains all of its major early buildings as well as the C19 additions many of which are distinguished by the use of iron roofs.
Source. English Heritage Architectural Investigation Report NBR 33050.

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