Oldknows Mill

 The original building would have bee an impressive 400 feet (120 meters) with its three-story wings, the main structure boasted a width of 42 feet (13 meters) and a length of 210 feet (64 meters). Oldknow's grand vision didn't stop there. To power this leviathan, he embarked on a remarkable feat of engineering. The River Goyt, along with the very county boundary separating Derbyshire and Cheshire, was diverted. A weir channeled water into a leat, feeding a millpond later christened the Roman Lakes. This, in turn, supplied a second millpond further empowered by a reservoir in Linnet Clough.

For additional muscle, an external water wheel known as the Waterloo wheel provided supplementary muscle. The mill's peak came in 1804, a period of immense production. With 10,080 spindles whirring and 550 people employed, Mellor Mill was a hive of cotton spinning activity.

Tragically, fire ravaged this industrial giant in 1892, bringing its productive reign to an end. Today, Mellor Mill stands as a reminder of a bygone era, its remnants a testament to the ingenuity and transformative power of the Industrial Revolution.

Pit for the primary Wellington water wheel.

Drive shaft bearing blocks

Hidded brick and stone built tunnel

The input conduit for Waterloo wheel.

The Powerhouse of Mellor Mill

At the heart of Mellor Mill's operation lay a complex system of waterwheels, later supplemented by steam, that breathed life into the vast cotton-spinning machinery.

The crown jewel was the Wellington Wheel, a massive breastshot wheel measuring 22 feet in diameter and housed within a dedicated pit beneath the mill's central entrance. Water channeled from the mill lodge, a dedicated pond south of the mill, fed the wheel through a leat, keeping it constantly turning.

However, the engineers behind Mellor Mill weren't content with a single source of power.  The Waterloo Wheel, likely constructed in 1815, emerged as a companion.  Cunningly positioned, it received water exiting the Wellington Wheel pit and harnessed its energy.  This exterior wheel, also a breastshot design, boasted the same diameter but a narrower width.  A clever tunnel system then channeled the power from the Waterloo Wheel to the mill and its outbuildings.

Adding another layer of ingenuity, a third waterwheel, dedicated to a separate stone-built corn mill, existed off the mill's southwestern corner.  Combined, these three waterwheels generated a formidable 120 horsepower, a testament to the power of this innovative system.

As technology marched forward, Mellor Mill embraced change.  Supplementary steam engines entered the scene, each boasting a nominal horsepower of 20 and built by Goodfellow of Hyde.  These steam engines served as a backup or additional power source when water flow might have been insufficient.

Finally, a glimpse into the mill's internal equipment reveals a shift from water frames, an earlier technology, to the more efficient throstle frames.  The heart of the spinning operation consisted of a massive 23,000 throstle spindles supplied by Wren & Hopkinson.  Supporting this impressive array were preparation machines from Parr, Curtis & Madely of Manchester, along with a hoist by Hughes & Wren.  This combination of machinery, powered by the innovative water and steam systems, made Mellor Mill a powerhouse of cotton production.