Backbarrow Mill Sluice, Backbarrow, Cumbria - Historic Hand Operated Sluice Gates on Waymarking.com

The mill has an extensive history, some of which is told in nearby Lakeland Motor Museum. In Tudor times there was a corn mill here, run by the monks of Cartmel Priory. A fulling mill and paper mill followed before the structure we see today was built as a cotton mill, which employed child labour. A Parliamentary commission investigated the employment of orphan children in 1816 at this mill. All these mills used the river Leven's power with turbines eventually coming from local Kendal firm Gilkes and Gordon. The last company to use this mill was Reckitt and Coleman.
The mill closed in 1980s and was redeveloped in to time share units and hotel.

Links
Backbarrow's Industrial History
The White Water Holiday Village now

Name of Waterway.: Leven river Roughly when was the Waterway created?: 1801 Is this waterway working?: Working What is the condition of the sluice gate?: Excellent working order What is/was the water used for?: Industrial use (e.g. mill race)

Visit Instructions:
Please take photo of your visit.

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