Cromford Mills wins EU Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra Award
Cromford Mills is a large complex of industrial mill set in the beautiful Derwent Valley in Derbyshire, a UNESCO World Heritage site. It consists of 20 buildings, the earliest and most substantial of which were built commencing in 1771 by Sir Richard Arkwright, the inventor and entrepreneur. Arkwright, with his patented water frames, revolutionised the manufacture of cotton from a small cottage industry and created what is now regarded as the world’s first successful factory at Cromford Mills.
Marcon completed the fit-out of the new Gateway Visitor Centre. The jury noted the high quality of the centre and stated that “the interpretive activities and materials for children are a great addition to the site and its educational function is significant for the entire World Heritage site”.
The project to recover Building 17 of the complex was initiated by The Arkwright Society, a small voluntary organisation. The organisation bought the building and secured substantial funds from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the European Regional Development Fund to redevelop this Grade I listed site into a gateway to the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site and a centre for creative industries on the upper floors.
