About Staveley Mill Yard

Staveley Mill Yard is a four-acre site comprised of over 20 retail and industrial units, in the centre of Staveley village, it is situated near to both Kendal and Windermere and close to central Lake District.

Information about the Mill Yard can now also be found on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staveley_Mill_Yard

 

Click below to watch a video of the latest the Mill Yard has to offer:

 
 
     
 

A Greener Community

Staveley Mill Yard operates within a unique and precious environment, which is why it has become very important to have a responsibility and understanding of that environment.

The River Kent, which was once used to power wood turning lathes, is now being used to generate energy for the businesses of the mill yard, this means that 10-15% of all electricity requirements are contributed by the power of the river.

As well as using the natural resources, it is also important to renew them, which is why large areas of trees are being replanted on the land surrounding Staveley Mill Yard.

 
 
 

A video history of Staveley Mill Yard.

 
 

History of the Mill Yard

The River Kent is one of England’s fastest flowing rivers and has been essential to the success of industry in the local area. There were once over 30 mills reliant on waterpower from the River Kent and now only Staveley Mill yard remains. (There are records of a fulling mill on the adjacent site at Barley Bridge dating back to the 17th century.) The mill on this site, known as Low Mill, was constructed about 1825 by local businessman Thomas Taylor, who recognised that with the building of the canal to Kendal in 1820, there was a ready market for bobbins and reels in the Lancashire Cotton mills, and plenty of local timber in Staveley to provide the raw materials.

Thomas Taylor’s mill, parts of which remain in the office block adjacent to Hawkshead Brewery, comprised some 24 lathes and four saws, on two floors. Taylor, along with two of his daughters, died following the 1832 cholera outbreak and the mill was then leased to Benjamin Turton from Horbury in Yorkshire. Turton expanded the mill by building the blocks which now house Hawkshead and Wilf’s and by 1847, when the railway came to Staveley, the mill had some 38 lathes in use.

In 1850, the mill was acquired by Chadwick Bros of Bolton, who purchased not only the mill but also the two adjacent fields to allow for expansion. They bought land on the other side of the river, and widened the river to form a new mill pond and weir (the present one) in 1853. In 1897 Chadwick’s Mill was bought by J. P. Coats of Paisley and was sold to a Mr. Dean in 1900 who renamed it The Staveley Wood Turning Co. Ltd.

Edwin Brockbank, the son of a bobbin turner, became manager of the mill, partner in 1938 and then owner in 1946. Staveley Mill Yard has remained in the Brockbank family for three generations, from Edwin to his son Roger and on to his son David, the present owner.
During the 20th century Staveley Mill Yard became a very significant producer of wooden tool handles, but by the 1990’s the increased competition from imports and digging machinery made the business unviable. This led to a significant loss of jobs in the area, which is why it was decided to turn the mill yard into shops and industrial units in an effort to reintroduce jobs and industry back into the area.

(We would like to thank Staveley & District History Society for providing the historic photos.)