World Heritage

newsIssue 19 - 2020 www.derwentvalleymills.org

Helping children understand our story - full story page 3

World Great Floods Heritage work for cause Advocate Great further Mary has Place damage died Scheme for mills - Page 2 - Pages 4&5 - Page 7 02 World Heritage News www.derwentvalleymills.org

Plan completed The new 2020-25 Management Plan for the World Heritage is now complete, and work has already begun on delivering some of the many actions identified within the document. A dedicated area for the new plan has been established on the World Heritage Site website, at www.derwentvalleymills.org/managementplan/ Mary Smedley Sensitive approach The Derwent Valley Mills and lost one of their finest to providing homes advocates and externally, to the traditional form of mill champions in April, with Once a hive of activity, the now workers cottages across the Derwent the death of historian dormant buildings on the east side Valley region, the new dwellings seek to Mary Smedley (nee of Lea Road within the John follow the rhythmic terraced layout that Millward). Smedley Mills site at Lea Bridge are set to welcome a new sense of communicate a simple internal After a meeting in the configuration of habitable spaces. winter of 1994/5, community in the form of a variety It is these characteristics that informed the looking for support for a of new dwellings. design concept for Evans Vettori Architects museum in the town’s For a site steeped in industrial heritage, (Matlock) in their sensitive approach for North Mill, Mary became involved in the setting up Amber Valley Borough Council and the new houses; to reinterpret the historic of the Derwent Valley Visitor Centre (later known as Historic England were unequivocal that a mill workers cottage marrying elements of Strutt’s North Mill). sensitive approach to redevelopment was tradition character and materials with the Before long, Mary was appointed manager, and essential, that takes threads from local essence of contemporary design. immersed herself fully in making it the best possible distinctiveness and context. RESPECTING TRADITION: New houses visitor attraction. Working with an enthusiastic group Incorporating contextual cues and making (right) alongside other familiar mill workers of volunteers, she made an outstanding success of careful reference, both internally and housing from across the Derwent Valley. the North Mill, with growing numbers of visitors, including school groups. She also set up the first heritage walks in the town. Mary stepped down as manager in November 2008 Research proves value of and became more involved in the management structure of the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site, where she was an active member of the World Heritage status Technical Panel. She later became a member of the Belper North Mill Trust, which holds responsibility New research published £151 million of financial for the running of the museum. this summer by the UK benefit each year and help Mary was unique in the town for the depth of her National Commission for bring communities together understanding of the town’s history, and passed her UNESCO has shown that to protect and conserve knowledge on in a way that engaged and helped the UK’s UNESCO some of the most people to grasp it. She inspired others to expand on projects – including World important places in the her work, and helped instil self-confidence in the Heritage Sites – help build country. a greener, more equal and many people she persuaded to become guides at the From expansive mountain mill. The World Heritage Site will miss her greatly. more peaceful world, while also creating financial value. ranges in the Highlands of Scotland to densely The report is the first to populated urban areas such Joan d’Arcy examine the cultural, as Belfast, Bradford and environmental and financial Manchester, UNESCO The World Heritage Site benefits to UK life from projects span 12% of the education, capacity building Partnership lost another diverse UNESCO projects, UK’s land area and and tourism. friend this year –Joan which also include Creative comprise of partnerships d’Arcy. An impeccable Cities, Global Geoparks between 1,300 The research shows that and thorough and Biosphere Reserves organisations, charities, and continued investment in researcher, Joan’s alongside their active businesses. UNESCO projects is knowledge of both Derby contribution to the United critical in helping the UK Nation’s Sustainable These partnerships are and devolved governments and research techniques made mainly on a local was a great benefit to the Development Goals meet the United Nation’s (SDGs). level, between hundreds of SDGs. Partnership, helping in the groups all working together production of interpretation and providing advice It estimates that UNESCO to support efforts in PROVEN VALUE: The new and support. She too will be greatly missed. projects in the UK generate conservation, research, report. World Heritage News 03

Mixed message on Buffer Zone From the Chair Two planning appeal the demolition of White House both hearings, expressed The Covid-19 decisions concerning the Farm, formerly owned by the concerns that the cumulative pandemic has seen Buffer Zone of the Derwent Strutt family who built the Belper effect of development in the huge impacts Valley Mills World Heritage Mills. relict landscape of the Buffer across the world, Site (DVMWHS) have been Zone is “the greatest identified Whilst the appeal for the Crich to families, announced by the Secretary threat to the Derwent Valley Mills communities and of State for Housing, Lane houses was dismissed, the World Heritage Site and its businesses. Communities and Local appeal for Belper Lane, and the Outstanding Universal Value.” Government. demolition of the farm, was All the visitor sites upheld. • The appeal decisions came only within the Derwent Valley Mills Planning appeal hearings had days after news that Derby City been held for large-scale housing This was despite concerns raised World Heritage Site have been Council planning committee had closed, and staff furloughed during a developments within the relict by ICOMOS International (on green-lit the building of ‘The landscape setting of the behalf of UNESCO) who had very difficult and different period Landmark’, a 17-storey building from March 2020. DVMWHS at Crich Lane, Belper stated permission for the scheme on Phoenix Street, Derby, in the (February 2019) and Belper Lane, “presents a challenge to the face of concerns raised by In line with government guidance, Belper (July 2018), both of which maintenance of the OUV ICOMOS International, the some of the sites such as Cromford had been called in by the (Outstanding Universal Value) of World Heritage Site Partnership, Mills and High Peak Junction have Secretary of State. the property”. Historic England and the council’s thankfully now re-opened and The latter scheme also proposed The DVMWHS Partnership, in own officers. others are now moving towards re-opening. We want to help the sites and attractions in the WHS as much as possible and thanks to The Great Place Scheme (funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Council England), a number of initiatives have been launched to support recovery over the months ahead. This includes: • Help in the short term to chairs the World Heritage Site’s welcome back visitors - putting Children’s guide Education Group and was part of new measures and hygiene the team that developed the solutions on-site for safe visits, book. She said: “We’ve been support with risk assessments A new guide for children and New book waiting for an opportunity to and “walk rounds” to give families, telling the story of the ‘Matlock Bath: a perfectly produce a guide for children and another pair of eyes on Derwent Valley Mills World romantic place’ is now available families for a long time. measures already brilliantly put Heritage Site, will be launched at local book shops in Cromford, in place by sites; this autumn. “It has been a delight working Matlock Bath and Wirksworth, as with Rebecca to produce what • Working together to help well as the Cromford Mills and The guide has been illustrated by we hope will be a very popular visitors find out information Strutt’s North Mills’ shops. local artist Rebecca Morledge, publication.” more easily before they come; bringing key themes of the The new book from the World Heritage Site story to life The guide has been funded by • As some areas of our heritage Derwent Valley Mills Educational for a family audience. the Great Place Scheme. make social distancing difficult, Trust tells the story of this we’re working on our digital village from the late Georgina Greaves of Derbyshire STORY TELLING: Artwork from offer so that people can enjoy 18th century to the present day. Environmental Studies Service the new guide. places where access is still limited; • Creativity packs including Discovery Days festival goes on-line activities to do at home inspired Before the Covid-19 outbreak, it had already been including a new commission from writer Emma by the World Heritage Site story decided to change the format for the 2020 World Pass, thanks to the Arts Council England funded and aimed at members of the Heritage Site Discovery Days festival. ‘Derbyshire Commissions’ project. community who don’t have access to the internet. It was felt it needed a revamp and with so many With all the uncertainty over Covid-19 it was significant anniversaries taking place in 2021 (300 decided to move the festival entirely on line. It will We are looking forward to a time years of Derby Silk Mill, 250 years of Cromford Mill, still take place on 9 to 11 October, the first day when we can welcome you back to 20 years since we became a World Heritage Site), focusing on the southern part, the second day on all of the sites and attractions in the we were going to reduce the festival to three days the central part and the final day on the northern World Heritage Site. For updates with an eye to something larger the following year. part of the DVMWHS. please keep an eye on our website and social media. We had also already agreed on a theme for this year Look out for further Discovery Days details on our and it was ‘Celebrating Women of the Derwent website www.derwentvalleymills.org where we Barry Lewis Valley’. There has been a lot of enthusiasm and will include a programme of on-line events taking Chair, DVMWHS Partnership exciting ideas for events as part of this theme, place. 04 World Heritage News www.derwentvalleymills.org

Extension for Great Place Scheme We’re pleased to This will allow the World Heritage The focus during lockdown has Works and Derwent Delights have announce The Great Site team to complete the events been on progressing projects been able to continue with online and activities involving the public which are designed to raise wider learning and making under social Place Scheme has and volunteer teams at sites and awareness of the World Heritage distancing guidelines. received an extension attractions later this year or next Site. year. Here is a quick overview of what until June 2021. Some projects such as Great we’d been up to before Covid-19. Pedal powered ‘Mr Arkwright’ The first of the major Great Place arts commissions ‘Mr Arkwright’ was installed at Cromford Mills for the second half of 2019. Visitors were able to experience the installation Young Entrepreneurs first hand as they powered water around the structure by The Young Entrepreneurs project run by pedalling a tandem, which Derbyshire Environmental Studies Service activated an innovative His mind combined social welfare or capitalism, focussed on employability skills and drawing machine. The engineering, architecture, but making a comment on a creativity, working with students aged 11 to machine drew a heart onto a mechanics, nature, housing, brilliantly inventive mind that 18. Three more groups have completed the bespoke postcard for the entrepreneurship, business worked in a way like most project with fantastic results. Students from visitor to take home. and invention. modern minds need to, St John Houghton School, Alfreton Park The commission by Jo Fairfax crossing boundaries and Special School and Chesterfield College “The artwork, ‘Mr multi-tasking with ease.” Graphic Design course took on the was inspired by Sir Richard Arkwright’, paid tribute to his challenges with great enthusiasm. Arkwright. Jo said, “I found multifaceted mind in a UNVEILED: The ‘Mr Richard Arkwright’s contemporary way. I was not Arkwright’ installation at The project provided young people with a achievements really inspiring. making a moral comment on Cromford Mill. chance to be creative and develop artistic skills and their employability, team work, advertising and sales skills. Each group finished their project with a sales event – pitching their products ‘dragons den’ style or selling their creations on stalls and in shops. FOR SALE: Some of the items produced. Great Works The Great Works project has two main focus areas - to provide employability skills, and Threading through time and community help people discover what opportunities Last October saw the launch of an ambitious mills. Their voices were included in the might be available in heritage and tourism. arts commission for Japanese textiles artist soundscape. Seiko Kinoshita. Courses have taken place: Y.E.S The second concept, Threading through Programme, Your Employment Success Entitled Thread, the commission drew Communities, was a community lantern event saw participants achieve their level one attention to the rich heritage of Belper, in the inspired by the Japanese tradition of employability qualification and go on to work heart of the World Heritage Site. illuminating paths with lanterns. Seiko created placements within the Derwent Valley. a lantern design influenced by the shape of the Seiko brought together two concepts for this cotton bobbin which then combined cotton Students on the travel and tourism level one work. The first, Threading through Time, course have been learning all about the thread, paper and other natural materials to was an installation combining hundreds of create beautiful effects. World Heritage Site and how important it is bobbins from the North Mill, cotton thread for Tourism and for our local economy. and a soundscape installed into the historic She worked with local community groups, The second area for Great Works is creative basement area of the Strutt’s North Mill schools, church and craft groups to make over workshops using the Derwent Valley Mills museum in Belper. 500 lanterns which were then installed in St and landscape as inspiration. Since lockdown, Peter’s Church, Belper. Actors from Captive For the soundscape, Seiko researched and Audience Theatre Company performed poetry many courses have continued to be recorded sounds from inside different textile delivered online. Learners have upholstered written by local poet Janette Burton inspired mills, including the Tomioka Silk Mill World by the story of the Strutt family. their own footstools with unique designs Heritage Site in Japan. printed onto fabric. Another group has been ALL LIT UP: St Peter’s Church, filled with the learning the art of printmaking. She spoke to people who worked in textile lanterns made during the project. World Heritage News 05

New portal to the past A new Derbyshire Heritage Mapping Portal has been created allowing you to see how the Derwent Valley from Derby to Matlock has changed over the last 200 years. Featuring selected maps from the collections at the record office, the portal enables free access to Willersley: digital copies of the maps and an “overlay” feature so you can see The London the present and the past at the same time: Mothers The portal was made possible thanks to the Great Place Thanks also go to the creators maps can be seen on the Artist Heidi Luker has been Scheme, which funded high and benefactors of the original Derbyshire County Council commissioned by the Derwent resolution scanning of the maps, maps, not only for their existence website, in the Derbyshire Record Valley Mills Heritage Site and hard work from Derbyshire in the first place, but also for the Office section. Partnership and BEAM to County Council’s GIS Officer, the detail and accuracy with which produce a performance and video World Heritage Site team and they surveyed the land and FOR ALL TO SEE: One of the documentation to explore the several volunteers who helped to produced the maps – the success digitised Strutt Estate maps can heritage of Willersley Castle in identify the maps for digitisation, of the overlaid images is entirely now be seen on the LocalStudies Cromford, funded by the Great and provided additional credit to their incredible skills. wall in the new Belper Library. Place Scheme. descriptive information for the Image courtesy of Derbyshire online catalogue. A digital exhibition about the Record Office. Said Heidi: “I was told when I moved here from Tottenham, London, that the Castle became a Pop Up Art in maternity hospital, run by the Hackney Mothers Hospital, during the Second World War. It Unusual Spaces was set up by the Salvation Army to allow thousands of expectant A “Pop Up” art programme has mothers from North London to seen the creation and escape the constant air raids in performance of an evocative order to give birth safely.” sound collage by local musician Jay Dean at High Peak Junction Heidi has researched their Railway Workshops. stories, to explore their experience of leaving home to An atmospheric art installation letterpress print making, printing these new temporary works and give birth in Willersley Castle and and soundscape on Cromford using natural dyes, and the activities to engage new spoken to some of those Canal’s trip boat Birdswood was creation of a small village of audiences. involved. “ I was also keen to find installed by local artist Tracey worker’s housing took place at out how the rural communities of Meek and Cromford based Holy Trinity Church in Milford. COLLAGE: Tracey Meek’s work Cromford and Wirksworth musicians Haiku Salut. Artists have used their own on Birdswood (above left). reacted to so many London women and nurses being billeted In the last Discovery Days festival, personal response to the heritage HOUSING: Printwork in Milford with families in the area and how creative activities such as story of each place to create Church (above right). the two different communities communicated and adapted,” she said. New ambassadors Due to the closure of Willersley A new Milford Business Ambassador Scheme has Castle as a Christian Guild hotel, in the wake of the Covid-19 been created to help visitor-facing businesses lockdown, the completed learn more about their part of the World commission ‘The London Heritage Site, with a view to keeping visitors in Mothers’ can no longer be staged the area for longer. at Willersley, so an alternative The first session (left) was held with staff from venue is being investigated for 2021. Soi Kitchens, and there will be more in 2021. OFF TO WILLERSLEY: Expectant This builds on the success of the Belper Business mothers leave London for Ambassador programme which has contributed Derbyshire. Image courtesy of to the town winning Great British High Street the Salvation Army International once again in 2019. Heritage Centre 06 World Heritage News www.derwentvalleymills.org

Sunflowers for Beyond the mill walls support scheme The informal learning offer for Cromford Mills has received a boost with cash from In October 2019 the Sunflower Scheme the Postcode Local Trust. was launched in Belper, a collaborative The grant allowed staff and volunteers to develop initiative with Accessible Belper, the the area between the mill, river and church in a University of Derby and the Love Belper project entitled ‘Beyond the Mill Walls: group. Rejuvenating Smelting Mill Green’. The Sunflower Scheme is a national New sculptures interpret both the wildlife of the initiative to highlight hidden disabilities local area and the history of the lead smelting and and enable people to have the support calamine mills, which predated Arkwright’s mills they need when they are out. In Belper A wide range of adult craft workshops were but were knocked down to improve the view being offered before lockdown, allowing visitors the scheme was adapted so that instead from Willersley Castle. Local children from of wearing a lanyard, residents wear to learn new creative skills such as nuno felting Cromford Primary School helped weave a living and glass blowing. sunflower badges. willow cottage, and there are also new picnic Many of the retailers in the town have benches and a den building area. December 2019 saw their most successful Christmas tree festival yet, with community taken part in the scheme, with posters More development is planned, including up in their premises to explain the groups from all over the valley decorating trees dogwood play tunnels and a Scavenger’s in ways that reflected their special interests. scheme and they have badges available Scramble trail, to reflect the industrial heritage of for anyone who wishes to take one. the area and encourage families to explore REJUVENATION: New sculptures to explore at The residents who wear a badge do not further. Cromford. have to identify their disability, it is so that there is awareness in a shop that they may need more time, support or some adjustments and the staff can then Thanks to our fantastic volunteers help them. It has more recently been used to indicate when people are unable to wear facemasks in shops for medical reasons. Mill lottery The Belper North Mill Trust launched its Strutt’s North Mill Community Lottery late in 2019 to support the museum and visitor centre in the North Mill in Belper and the first draw took place on 12 January before one of the winter talks given by Adrian Farmer at the No.28 Community Hall in Belper Market Place. By chance the first winner to be At the end of 2019 we were attractions open and in good Hurst from Bullbridge and drawn was the once again able to thank some working order, all with a huge Sawmills Association, Neil Trust’s Chair John of our very hard working amount of enthusiasm and love Wayne from The Cedars B&B Layton, who volunteers. for the work involved. at Belper, Nick Mcleod from spearheaded the the Strutts Centre in Belper initiative, but Each year we celebrate the This year we took the and the Middleton Top Engine there have been volunteers from across the opportunity to publicly and Leawood Pump Group many other DVMWHS who work tirelessly recognise the commitment of volunteers. winners since. to deliver events, inform the Barry Dawber from Strutt’s public about the significance of North Mill, David Romaine TOP NOTCH: Some of our A share costs the area, help to keep the from the Arkwright Society, Gill award winners. £2 a month and there is no limit to how many you can hold, so the more you buy, the greater your chance of winning. Draws Condition survey for Belper’s mills take place every month with three winning numbers and there will also be a A condition survey of the entire Belper Mills seven-storey East Mill into apartments. bumper annual Christmas draw. complex has been progressed by Stephen Levrant Heritage Architecture Ltd for FI Real The mill water-courses have been drained down Download a leaflet and application form Estate Management Ltd. and inspected as a part of this work and flood on www.belpernorthmill.org.uk and and drainage specialists commissioned to try and help to support the Trust and Strutt’s The work is being done as part of FI’s planning determine if there are causes other than heavy North Mill museum. application for the redevelopment of the Belper rainfall which are causing the North Mill to flood mills site, which includes the conversion of the and how this might be mitigated. World Heritage News 07

World Heritage Day Lots of people along the Derwent Valley helped to celebrate this year’s World Heritage Site Day in April by making waterwheel inspired creations, despite being in lockdown. There were crocheted mats & wall hangings, mandalas, and some wonderful examples were shared on social media, of children and adults building their own working waterwheels at home – including lots from Belper Brownies. This was all thanks to local artist and North Mill volunteer Kim Kerry, who created a group on Facebook for people to share their craft Mill swamped in flood event and art projects Low-level flooding is not uncommon in further incidents on 23 and 24 February. during lockdown. the basement of William Strutt’s She helped bring A decision has been made to vastly reduce the everyone together innovative iron-framed, fire resistant contents of the basement as flooding continues to for a Derwent North Mill in Belper. be problematic. Valley Mills Since March 2019 it has been exceptional, with FLOODED: The Belper Mills car park (above). inspired seven individual flood events of varying severity. celebration in the DEVASTATION: A view of the basement seen lead up to World Last October the art installation ‘Thread’ by Seiko from above, during the flood event (below). Heritage Site Kinoshita, a Great Place project and part of the Day on April 18. Discovery Days celebration, was flooded to a depth of about 80cm (see page 5). WHEELY GOOD: Very But the most devastating inundation occurred in large crochet the early hours of Friday 8 November when the water wheel by North horseshoe weir almost disappeared and the Mill Volunteers Alan Wilmot and Kim basement flooded to a depth of 1.65m. Kerry The owner’s and Belper North Mill Trust’s insurers moved swiftly to assess the damage and the work, cleaning the building and contents, was New info on display completed early in 2020, only to be lost in two

To celebrate the links between the two towns, a Celebration for delegation came over from Rhode Island in July, to re-affirm the twinning declaration. They attended Birdswood Boat Trip Volunteer Keith a reception at Strutt’s North Mill, where they Bailey turned his hand to design work in 25th anniversary were re-united with old friends, including Reg producing a new information board for Whitworth who was integral to the twinning display inside Leawood Pumping Station. Last year was the 25th anniversary of the twinning process in 1994. Because of the damp atmosphere beside between Amber Valley and the Blackstone Valley BACK IN BELPER: The Rhode Island contingent the steam engine, the image was printed in Rhode Island, USA, and between Belper and were given a warm welcome by friends from on a special aluminium-bonded board, Pawtucket, where Strutt apprentice Samuel Slater Belper, Amber Valley and the World Heritage Site funded by the Friends of Cromford took the secrets of mass cotton production in at Strutt’s North Mill. Photograph by Jim Bell. Canal. 1789. Don’t miss out! We hope you have enjoyed this edition of World Heritage News and found the contents interesting and helpful. This year, owing to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, it has not been possible to print the newsletter, so only a digital version is World Heritage News available. To ensure you receive future digital Issue 19 - 2020 www.derwentvalleymills.org editions, please email the WHS team at [email protected]. Popular Birdswood awaits canal return The Friends of Cromford Canal’s CHECK UP: Birdswood’s biennial check passenger boat Birdswood by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency continued to attract visitors from offered the chance for an unusual view of all over the world in 2019. the boat last November. A total of 8,536 visitors and locals took Robin Hood excavations the two-hour return trip between Cromford Wharf and Leawood, bringing An enthusiastic team including Friends of Cromford the total carried since operations began Canal volunteers has been working on historical in 2013 to 44,598. excavations beside the canal at Robin Hood, just north of Most were propelled by the quiet and Whatstandwell. environmentally friendly electric motor, This was an area where gritstone from Duke’s Quarries but those visiting on special weekends was loaded initially onto boats and later onto railway when Leawood Pump was in steam were wagons (via Sims Bridge) for use in prestigious buildings treated to the rare opportunity of being all over the country. Excavations to date have revealed pulled by horse in the traditional manner. the base of a crane for loading boats and the floor of a Birdswood has not been running during stable and blacksmith’s shop. lockdown, but for details of when TOUCHING BASE: The newly excavated crane base services will be running again, keep an stone beside the Cromford Canal at Robin Hood. eye on www.birdswood.org. Cycleway making progress The Derwent Valley Cycleway Project aims to major grant, the group saw good progress in create an off-road cycleway between Derby 2019 on various sub-sections of the cycleway, and Baslow, passing through the full length of and a raised pathway was completed across the World Heritage Site. Darley Park early in 2020. This, with funding for a further section to link Darley Abbey The route is planned to have good connections (Haslams Lane) with Ford Lane, under the to the national cycle network, in a bid to A38, means all sections of the cycleway within energise people to move around the heritage Derby will effectively be complete. They have site in a family-friendly way. It will also also raised funds towards improvements for encourage improved commuting, for example Wyver Lane, north of Belper. between Belper, Duffield and Derby. In May 2019 the Group organised a high- A proposed route has been identified and a visibility Campaign Ride up the Derwent Valley. working group is busy adding detail to this, as Starting at Derby University, the main group well as fund-raising, lobbying, and building a followed the A6 up to Matlock. Star participant support base. They seek, and continue to gain was Richard Thoday from Matlock on his support from, many different stakeholders and penny-farthing. influencers, including landowners. More information can be found at They also share interest and mutual support www.derwentvalleytrust.org.uk/cycle/. with similar groups – for example canoeists and horseriders. PENNY FOR THEM: Richard Thoday on his Penny-Farthing leads cyclists past Masson Mills. Whilst continuing to seek the “big win” of a

Published by: Enquiries: Contributing to this issue were: Derwent Valley Mills Partnership, [email protected] Adrian Farmer BEM, Sukie Khaira, Beki c/o Derbyshire County Council, Howey, Alison Vasey, Georgina Greaves, Matlock, Derbyshire. Hugh Potter, Dan Greenway, Tim Wilmhurst.