Gibson Mill is a 19th-century cotton mill that sits at the heart of Hardcastle Crags.
The Mill has been brought back into use as a facility for visitors and for the local community. This ground-breaking project has renovated the Mill as a model of sustainable development, being run with minimum impact on its environment.
The £1.6 million project was funded jointly by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Yorkshire Forward and other sources.
History of Gibson Mill
Gibson Mill sits at the heart of Hardcastle Crags. Hardcastle Crags is a beautiful wooded valley punctuated by the stacks of millstone grit called crags.
'Near the Crags a quaint little Mill is passed, called Lord Holme Mill, but better known as Gibson Mill. Some think that it spoils the beauty of the spot, others that it adds to the picturesqueness. This is a matter which must therefore leave for the taste of the tourist himself.'
The Official Guide to Hardcastle Crags, 1899.
Gibson Mill was built around 1800. It was one of the first generation mills of the Industrial Revolution.
The Mill was driven by a water wheel inside and produced cotton cloth up until 1890. In 1833, 21 workers were employed in the building, each working an average 72 hours per week.
In the early 1900s, Gibson Mill began to be used as an ‘entertainment emporium’ for the local people. The facilities included dining saloons, a dancing hall, a roller skating rink, refreshments kiosks and boating on the mill pond.
Since the Second World War, Gibson Mill has lay largely unused, until now when the Mill opens to the public for the first time in 50 years.
‘Hands-on’ exhibitions
The Mill offers visitors to Hardcastle Crags an opportunity to learn more about the Crags and the Mill itself.
‘Hands-on’ exhibitions inside Gibson Mill give visitors an exciting interactive experience.
The exhibitions explore:
- the industrial past of the Mill
- the social heritage of the people who worked there, lived nearby and used the Mill in their leisure time
- the natural beauty of Hardcastle Crags
Visitors will also be able to find out more about the green technology that will keep Gibson Mill working and the sustainable way in which the property will be run.
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