CROMFORD MILLS

The group of nationally important buildings at Cromford Mills forms the northern gateway to the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site, representing a key moment in the industrialisation of Britain. The complex of robust stone industrial buildings marks the site of Sir Richard Arkwright’s significant technical and social advances in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. The buildings themselves are listed at Grade 1, highlighting their historic and cultural importance nationally. The Mill Yard is bounded by Registered Historic Parkland, the ecologically important Scarthin Rock and shares watercourse and pedestrian connections with Cromford Village – with many listed buildings and physical evidence allied to the industrialisation of textile working.

 

MGA were appointed at competition in December 2025 to lead a full design team to work with the Arkwright Society, looking at the development of visitor focussed proposals which would increase dwell time and consequent revenue for this important site. Whilst the principal emphasis of the project is to carefully repair and adapt an existing Mill building at the entrance to the wider complex (the Second Mill Annex) and to improve existing areas of car parking and access, this 6.8m NLHF funded project also looks to create high quality contemporary accommodation to focus the Arkwright Society’s F&B, interpretation and learning offers.

 

The development of this important site over time has left behind a network of concealed water courses and industrial archaeology, which has been explored and mapped to inform interpretation and to ensure that impact of any new work is mitigated. The historic presence of water throughout the Mill Yard offers opportunities for innovative renewable energy installations, which form part of ongoing design development. The scope has involved initial strategic level design work for the wider site – looking at visitor journey and opportunity for change, with ongoing discussion with key stakeholders including Historic England, the Georgian Society and ICOMOS.

 

The team are currently working through Stage 2 proposals for sensitive adaptation and extension which will increase opportunities for public engagement and will remove this important Grade 1 listed building from the register of Heritage at Risk.

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