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The History of
Our Valley
The known
human history of the valley goes back some 300 years but
there is a good chance that 2000 years ago Romans regularly
passed through en route from Mancunium (Manchester) via
Melandra (Glossop) to Aqvae Arnemetiae (Buxton) and passing
the known Roman site at Mellor on the way. Maybe one day we will
find some proof.
Records exist
of a farmhouse at Windybottom Farm dating back to 1462. The
oldest
structure in the valley that still exists is the Roman
Bridge, a stunning packhorse bridge in a beautiful hidden
position over the narrowest and deepest section of the River
Goyt, probably dating from around 1700. Prior to this
a ford with stepping stones existed about 200 meters
upstream from the bridge, which connected to a sunken track
leading up to Strines Road.
All the
other buildings in the valley date from about 1792, except
the railway which was constructed in 1862. The impressive
Bottoms Mill, which stood at the corner of Lakes Road and
Bottoms Mill Road, was the largest cotton spinning mill in
the country when it was completed and stood for 100 years
before burning down in 1892. Nothing remains above ground
now but an exploratory archaeological dig and mapping took place in March 2009 and new information
came to
light.
This photo
of a model made by Tom Oldham of Bottoms Mill shows how it would
have looked before the fire and demolition.
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