The Arkwright Society was formed to revive and expand the legacy of Sir Richard Arkwright and his fascination with innovation, industry and education. With the help of donations and our incredible staff and volunteers we continue to form pioneering partnerships and play our part in our thriving local community. We deliver memorable visitor experiences, immersive education, inspiring arts exhibitions and lively seasonal events.
From the beginning, the Society has been engaged in the practical conservation of industrial monuments and educational activities. The Society also owns and cares for the scheduled area of the Lumsdale Valley in Matlock, investing in woodland management and nature conservation. The Arkwright Society purchased the Cromford Mills site in 1979 as an act of rescue and in the early 1980s began to implement its long-term restoration and economic plan. This began with the removal of the modern buildings in the mill yard. The strategy adopted was to raise funds, restore a building and put it to use to help fund the next phase of restoration, resulting in the multi-use heritage attraction you see today.
Many of the buildings have now been brought back into economic use and the site has a Visitor Centre, managed workspaces, cafes, and several tenanted retail shops. The Society has helped countless numbers of people access training and work and has transformed Cromford Mills from a derelict site doomed to demolition to one of World Heritage Status.
There is still a long way to go to complete the restoration of the site and remove the last buildings from the National Historic England’s Heritage at Risk list. The overarching aim is to restore all the surviving mill buildings, converting them to mixed-use helping us to keep the story of British innovation, local history and our world-changing heritage alive.
When you make a donation, buy a ticket, support our tenants or enjoy a cake in our cafes you help us to stop our heritage from crumbling, funding vital restoration and rescue work on foundations, walls and roofs.
You give us the opportunity to support our volunteers and the local people in our community and inspire future generations to innovate, and to take pride in our shared heritage.
The Arkwright Society is a registered charity (no. 515526)
