"That's an interesting building", I said as we passed by on the way to do some filming for BRM, "Can we stop off on the way back and take some photos?".
We did as you can see and I'm very glad. The cotton mill dates from 1780 and was the first to use a steam engine. This supplemented the waterwheel rather than replaced it, but made up for a sometimes inadequate supply. By 1789, the mill employed 200 people - a major employer in such a rural area.
The building has been altered quite considerably since it was built. Digging on-line tells me that while the plan hasn't changed, the upper floors have been rebuilt. There have been many more recent changes looking at the walls and one building has gained a hideous lean-to which would make a lovely modelling project.
Talking of modelling, like most early mills, this is quite small. English Heritage suggests 17m by 8m. That's only 20cm long in OO, well within the space available to most modellers.
Once a week I work across the road from Haarlem Mill, as a freelance graphic designer, and I've always fancied including a version of it on my model railway 'Dales Peak'.
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