Description and History of Site:-
Established as Peter Nightingale’s water-powered cotton mill in 1784, the site was initially leased to John Smedley in 1818. It wasn't until 1894 that Smedley's would purchase the freehold of Lea Mills from the Nightingales, with Florence Nightingale one of the signatories on the contract.

It is now the only working mill left in the Derwent Valley World Heritage Site, and can claim to be the oldest continually working factory in the world.

The original mill is concealed by later buildings, yet it has survived surprisingly intact.

Fowkes, Sissons and Mitchell (2005): 'Historic water power site still very much in use by John Smedley & Co, manufacturers of hosiery and knitwear. The original buildings were built for Peter Nightingale in 1761 for lead processing.'

Further Reading and References:-
Fowkes, Dudley, Sissons, Mark and Mitchell, Ian. 'A Guide to the Industrial Archaeology of Derbyshire'. 2005, Association for Industrial Archaeology. ISBN 0 9528930 8 8

https://www.johnsmedley.com/uk/discover/company-history/
https://her.derbyshire.gov.uk/Monument/MDR9637

Help us improve this entry

The compilers welcome corrections or additional information on all sites.
Any information provided will be verified before appearing on the web site.

Email comments

Key Words :- mill watermill cotton

Viewing the Site :- Occasional factory tours by booking in advance at www.johnsmedley.com/uk/discover/how-to-book-a-factory-tour/

Address :- Lea Bridge, Matlock, Derbyshire, DE4 5AG
Grid Ref :- SK 31820 56411
Co-ordinates :- Lat 53.103951 , Long -1.526178
Local Authority :- Derbyshire Dales District Council
Pre 1974 County :- Derbyshire
Site Status :- UNESCO World Heritage Site
Site Condition :- Operational site, in use for original purpose
Site Dates :- 1784 -
Record Date :- 13 August 2023

Copyright :- cc-by-nc-sa 4.0 © Robert Mason