Cockersdale watercourses and mills

The green spaces and places of Leeds
Post Reply
jim
Posts: 1895
Joined: Sun 17 May, 2009 10:09 am

Post by jim »

Hi Si. I've just got my copy of the 1852 OS. Its a little indistinct, but that's what you get with early map prints. The old track I had noted from the top of Dale Road to Old Lane is very clear however.When I looked at the internet version of the map, the word "colliery" near the top of Old Lane was in the place I identified, to the east of the track we followed. The increase in size possible by the print shows buildings in the site you suspected, to the west of the track surrounding the "duck pond". There are other interesting features, again indistinct, but setting off my guesstimation synapses. The map contains other clues to help in problem solving as well. Another trip sometime to look closer perhaps?

jim
Posts: 1895
Joined: Sun 17 May, 2009 10:09 am

Re: Cockersdale watercourses and mills

Post by jim »

I have just come across an item from a print-out of a set of notes on Farnley by a local history expert. Unfortunately it isn't referenced, but these are the relevant sentences:-

"The earth below Farnley was rich in coal, fireclay and ironstone. As long ago as 1449, an agreement was reached between the Lords of Farnley and Tong, concerning certain smithies sited near the beck in Sykes' Wood, the water rights over this stream, and the carting of ironstone (then called 'vreston') to and from there.These iron ore reserves were redeveloped by Edward Armitage's four sons, and the proceeds used to build New Farnley at Low Moor Side in the years following the establishment of the Farnley Iron Company in 1844.'

The mentions here of ironstone working, smithies, and water rights in Sykes' Wood would support my theories as to the older purposes of the watercourses to be seen throughout this thread. Shame about the lack of formal references.

Post Reply