Me and Neosea have been hanging our noses over this for a few months now and after a couple of recce’s we finally made our move, first the history:
Walton ‘Bump’ Mill was built in the 1770’s by partners Hewitt (a linen and woollen draper) and Bunting (a mercer and draper and later a tallow chandler in Beetwell Street Chesterfield). It is thought that the word “Bump” refers to cheap cotton that was manufactured there in the 1790’s. In 1800 a fire destroyed the building and machinery, except for the steam engine, this is probably why the lower courses are in stone and the remainder of the mill is brick.
The building is now Grade II listed. One of the rooms still has a fireproof structure of cast iron pillars and beams similar to those developed by Jedediah Strutt. The partnership of Hewitt and Bunting changed to include Creswick, Longdon and Claughton between 1806 and 1835. In the 1840’s and 1850’s the firm was engaged in cotton spinning and doubling, candlewick manufacturing and bleaching. A Mr Barnes (who owned several local collieries and lived in the building which is now Ashgate Hospice), also owned the mill for a short period before its purchase by the Robinsons in 1896. The mill finally closed in 2003.
And now the photos:
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Plenty more on the website.
Walton ‘Bump’ Mill was built in the 1770’s by partners Hewitt (a linen and woollen draper) and Bunting (a mercer and draper and later a tallow chandler in Beetwell Street Chesterfield). It is thought that the word “Bump” refers to cheap cotton that was manufactured there in the 1790’s. In 1800 a fire destroyed the building and machinery, except for the steam engine, this is probably why the lower courses are in stone and the remainder of the mill is brick.
The building is now Grade II listed. One of the rooms still has a fireproof structure of cast iron pillars and beams similar to those developed by Jedediah Strutt. The partnership of Hewitt and Bunting changed to include Creswick, Longdon and Claughton between 1806 and 1835. In the 1840’s and 1850’s the firm was engaged in cotton spinning and doubling, candlewick manufacturing and bleaching. A Mr Barnes (who owned several local collieries and lived in the building which is now Ashgate Hospice), also owned the mill for a short period before its purchase by the Robinsons in 1896. The mill finally closed in 2003.
And now the photos:
[
Plenty more on the website.
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still lots to see and poke around in though 
