SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

Hope this is the right place for this one,but until there's an industrial archaeology section,it'll have to do.Salivating over a recently acquired reproduction 19th map of my boyhood playground Farnley Forge and it's environs,I was idly looking at it's western extremity around Troydale and Cockersdale and noticed an "old mill race" north of Roker Lane Bottom which led to "Farnley Mill (dis)",just south of the much larger Troydale Mill.The use of Farnley Mill is well documented,but what interests me lies further south.I have a very clear memory of a walk in the company of an old friend following Cockersdale south from Roker Lane and,on the west side of the beck,coming across and tracing out and following a whole series of water course and wheelpit remains.There were vestigial traces of possible small buildings,but everything was obviously long disused,collapsed,and overgrown.There were at least five wheelpits and maybe more,and there is absolutely no indication of their existence on my map!I have never come across any mention of this site in local history works and would love to learn more.As a preliminary wild guess,I think it possible that the very noticeable ironstone leachings into the beck and the proximity of the Forge and it's associated mines indicate a direction of enquiry,but would be glad of any stronger evidence readers may have

Hi Jim. I'm trying to work out exactly where you mean. I've had a look on Google Earth, but can't see owt for the trees, and there's a big bit missing on the Tithe maps. I don't have the Godfrey map for this area either, but I know this part of the valley fairly well (if it's where I think you mean!) and my mother lived in Troydale when a teenager, so she might know something. Any chance of pinpointing on a map?

Right. I've looked at a 1970s OS Leeds and Bradford map, and there's a farm just to the west of Cockersdale Beck called Corn Mill Farm.On the Cassini Historical Map (sheet 104, dated 1841-1859) there's a Mill House on the same lane as the farm (a dead-end which runs south from Tong Lane), but half way between here and the bottom of Roker Lane, on the beck, there's a "Lower Mill" marked. Could this be it?    

Here's the map. I hope it's legible. Click on it to enlarge.    

Thanks for the response,Si.Alan Godfrey hasn't published this sheet yet,but I live in hope.The Francis Frith repro I have claims to be New Farnley 1847-1891.I have just pointed out to the supplier that the top third of this map is from a different year of issue to the bottom section,and as it shows both Lower Wortley Ring Road (c1924 I think) and the Leyshome Estate (inter war period?) its probably somewhat inaccurately dated!To return to your question,I shall describe its situation as clearly as I can from my1996 A to Z.Follow Tong Road due south from the Beulah,continue past the the junction with Back Lane as far as the Roker Lane junction.At this point the Leeds Country Way footpath follows the Tong Beck's eastern side through Cockersdale and Nan Whins Wood.The area I refer to is on the WEST side of the beck,and when I walked it,a good number of years ago,was practically open land with very few trees and with land to the further west sloping up towards Tong Lane and village.It may now be wooded,but I don't know.I am also talking of a section at least half a mile long.Hope this helps.    

Looks like I'm in the right place then, Jim. I think the west side of the beck comes under Bradford, hence no Tithe map of this side. Lower Mill was on this side, reached by a lane heading due south from the Tong Lane/Roker Lane junction. It's now marked as just a footpath. The mill was roughly where the beck turns from running north-east to due north. Corn Mill Farm still exists. Coincidentally, my mother lived near Back Lane, and my father lived on Leysholme Crescent in the 50s when courting!PS There's not much on Leodis. I tried searching Cockersdale, but there's just five or six general shots of the woods taken in 1929. No buildings or ruins in view, I'm afraid...        

More about Cockersdale here:http://www.secretleeds.com/forum/Messag ... ighLight=1

Thanks, Trojan. Here's the mill you posted on that thread. I don't know if it's the one Jim's on about.

Whoops!messages crossed in the post.Yes,Lower Mill is firmly in the appropriate position. If you follow the lane from Mill house down to the beck you will see a couple of buildings that will be a second mill.There were,as I mentioned,at least three others - a proper little early industrial grouping.I must hang my head a little as I have had a copy of The Village Atlas for N&W Yorks for some years, which has maps for 1842 and the 1894 and1911 revisions.The two mills you point out are on the 1842 map,but not the later ones.I have not noticed them before and thank you for pointing them out.Next question,just how many were there,and what was their function? Over to anyone with info!By the way Si, this is getting too close for comfort,in the early fifties I lived in New Blackpool, went to Lower Wortley School,and the Leysholme Estate was on my regular route to Armley Baths and the school dentists!        

I know of three mills on the side of the beck the first one was on your right just before Roker Lane this was a scrap yard when i moved into Pudsey thirty years ago.The next one was on Roker Lane new apartments now built on the site the next one was in the valley at the bottom of Hare Lane.Looking at the history of Fulneck School they had a dye house at the side of the beck this would be were Keeper Lane crosses the beck.As you say there was quite a lot going on in this area the reason there are not many trees on one side is a lot of timber was taken from here to make props for the trenches in the First World War this is what i have read when looking at the history of Fulneck.I look forward to reading more. Ps Looking at the picture of the Old Mill the path is a lot lower than the beck has you know water always finds the lowest point what is the story here?