Darley Abbey Mills (North Complex) Building To North West Of Site Known As Fire Station And Building To The East

Darley Abbey Mills (North Complex) comprises a pair of buildings forming part of an extensive, multi-phase cotton textile manufacturing complex. At the time of inspection, the site was partially in use as a small industrial estate.

The complex was originally built circa 1820 and enlarged in the late 19th century, with further alterations in the early 20th century. It was built by the Evans family of Darley Abbey. The northern yard of the manufacturing complex is subdivided by Old Lane and was originally powered by watercourses flowing through the site, fed by the River Derwent.

Fire Station

The Fire Station is a four-bay single storey brick-built and slate-roofed range constructed on an irregular plan to ease the movement of traffic around the site. A fifth bay at the south end is a mid-19th century addition.

The roof trusses are metal-framed, featuring 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. The metal-framed roof is thought to date from the 1820s or 1830s. The original purpose of the building has not been identified; the present name is later.

Building to East

The Building to East is a four-bay single storey brick-built block of two main phases. The earlier part, thought to be a drying shed, is a gable structure of four bays fronted by an addition to the north west which has chamfered corners to ease traffic movement in the yard.

The earlier building has timber roof trusses, while the addition is covered by a metal-framed roof of five bays. Each truss consists 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.

Historic Significance

These structures form part of the extensive textile manufacturing site at Darley Abbey, which traded under the name of Boars Head Mills. The complex is exceptional in its completeness of survival and displays important aspects of the development of fire-proofing technology for textile factories. 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 19th century additions, many of which are distinguished by the use of iron roofs. The site forms part of the closely related network of pioneer textile manufacturing sites in the Derwent Valley.