Sluice Gates And Retaining Walls On Head Race At Armley Mills

The sluice gates and retaining walls on the head race at Armley Mills were built in 1788 for Thomas Lloyd or around 1805 for Benjamin Gott, with probable alterations in the mid-19th century. Constructed from ashlar and wrought- and cast-iron, the solid wall features a walkway that provides access to four sluices. The low rail is supported by columns, and the retaining wall on the north side is approximately 30 meters long, linking to the weir. The wall on the south side is about 20 meters long and consists of several phases of stonework. Thomas Lloyd's rebuilding program at Armley in 1788 included recutting the narrow mill race, with engineer John Sutcliffe from Halifax overseeing the work. An earlier fulling mill existed on this site, and the stonework on the south side may include remnants of it. Benjamin Gott's new mill in 1805 likely necessitated further modifications to ensure adequate water flow for the new water wheels.