Cromford Conservation Area Appraisal

Cromford is world famous as the hub of the Derwent Valley World Heritage Site, the location where Richard Arkwright established the factory system of production, which evolved around a series of water-powered cotton mills and his patented inventions.

Although the industrial archaeology of the area is well understood, the research for the appraisal revealed the importance of the landscape setting to the Arkwright family and how they exploited the views and landscape in their location of a succession of key houses. Research also revealed many buildings built by the Arkwright Estate, which were located outside the conservation area. One aspect of the appraisal involved extending the boundary to include these estate properties.

> read the appraisal on the derbyshire dales district council website