River Meden
Encyclopedia
The River Meden is a river
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...

 in Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...

, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

. Its source lies just north of Huthwaite
Huthwaite
Huthwaite is a small village in Nottinghamshire, England, located to the west of Mansfield, close to the Derbyshire border. Before 1907 the village was known as Hucknall-under-Huthwaite and also Dirty Hucknall.-Derivation of Name:...

, near the Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...

 border, and from there it flows north east through Pleasley
Pleasley
Pleasley is a small village in between the nearby towns of Chesterfield and Mansfield, it is 8 km south east of Bolsover, Derbyshire, England and 4 km north west of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire...

 and Warsop
Warsop
Warsop is a civil parish in the District of Mansfield in Nottinghamshire, England, located on the outskirts of Sherwood Forest. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 12,365....

 before merging temporarily with the River Maun
River Maun
The River Maun is a river in Nottinghamshire, England. Its source lies in Kirkby-in-Ashfield, and from there it flows north east through Mansfield , Edwinstowe and Ollerton, these being the heart of the Sherwood Forest area...

 near Bothamsall
Bothamsall
Bothamsall is a village and civil parish in the Bassetlaw district of Nottinghamshire, England.According to the United Kingdom Census 2001 it had a population of 185.- History & Amenities :...

. The rivers divide after a short distance and go on separately to a point near Markham Moor
Markham Moor
Markham Moor is a village which lies five miles south of the town of Retford in the county of Nottinghamshire. Markham Moor lies on the junction between the A1, A638 and A57 roads...

 where they once more combine to form the River Idle
River Idle
The River Idle is a river in Nottinghamshire, England. Its source is the confluence of the River Maun and River Meden, near Markham Moor. From there, it flows north through Retford and Bawtry before entering the River Trent at Stockwith near Misterton...

.

Route

The river rises as two main streams to the north of Huthwaite, above the 200 feet (61 m) contour, on the coal measures
Coal Measures
The Coal Measures is a lithostratigraphical term for the coal-bearing part of the Upper Carboniferous System. It represents the remains of fluvio-deltaic sediment, and consists mainly of clastic rocks interstratified with the beds of coal...

 that run along the western edge of Nottinghamshire. Both are crossed by dismantled railway lines, before they unite and flow in a north-easterly direction to the north of Stanton Hill and Skegby. After crossings by two more redundant railways, the river is joined by a stream which flows from the Car Ponds on the edge of the Hardwick Hall
Hardwick Hall
Hardwick Hall , in Derbyshire, is one of the most significant Elizabethan country houses in England. In common with its architect Robert Smythson's other works at both Longleat House and Wollaton Hall, Hardwick Hall is one of the earliest examples of the English interpretation of the Renaissance...

 estate. The county boundary between Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...

 follows the course of the stream, and continues along the river as it passes to the south of Pleasley and under the A617 road. Just before the bridge are two large ponds, the second one constrained by a grade II listed dam, 66 feet (20.1 m) long by 10 feet (3 m) wide, with vertical wooded sluice gates on the upstream side. The adjacent two-arched bridge was built in 1800, although it was modified somewhat in the twentieth century, and its function has been partially superseded by the A617 bypass. Next the river passes through Pleasley Vale, where the water has cut through the underlying limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....

 escarpment to form a deep, narrow valley, much of which is wooded. Several mill buildings
Watermill
A watermill is a structure that uses a water wheel or turbine to drive a mechanical process such as flour, lumber or textile production, or metal shaping .- History :...

 were constructed here out of local limestone. Two large mill ponds remain, with two mill buildings, while a third building is located on a stream which flows from the north to join the Meden at this point.

After passing under the Robin Hood Line
Robin Hood Line
The Robin Hood Line is a railway line running from Nottingham to Worksop, Nottinghamshire. The stations between Shirebrook and Whitwell are in Derbyshire.The towns and villages served by the route are listed below:*Nottingham*Bulwell*Hucknall...

, which runs from Worksop
Worksop
Worksop is the largest town in the Bassetlaw district of Nottinghamshire, England on the River Ryton at the northern edge of Sherwood Forest. It is about east-south-east of the City of Sheffield and its population is estimated to be 39,800...

 to Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...

, the county border leaves the river, which continues in a north-easterly direction to pass between Church Warsop and Market Warsop
Warsop
Warsop is a civil parish in the District of Mansfield in Nottinghamshire, England, located on the outskirts of Sherwood Forest. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 12,365....

, where it is crossed by the A60 road. Just below the bridge is Warsop watermill, much of which dates from 1767. The building is grade II listed, and internally, the machinery and rolling mill date from the nineteenth century. There is also an early twentieth century water turbine. The mill bridge and weir are also listed structures. Turning eastwards, the river passes through Budby
Budby
Budby is a small hamlet in Nottinghamshire. It is located 3.5 kilometres north of Edwinstowe, and is in the civil parish of Perlethorpe-cum-Budby. Nearby is Thoresby Hall, the former home of the Earl Manvers.-Geography and history:...

 and into Thoresby Park, where it has been dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...

med to form a large ornamental lake called Thoresby Lake. The difference in height between the lake and the river below it at the eastern end was sufficient for Earl Manvers, the owner of Thoresby Hall
Thoresby Hall
Thoresby Hall is one of the Dukeries, four country houses and estates in north Nottinghamshire all occupied by dukes at one time in their history.-History:...

, to install two water turbines in 1941. They were supplied by Newtons of Derby and were of 22 kVA and 5 kVA capacity. The electricity generated supplied the hall. The generator house was demolished in the late 20th century.
Below the lake, the river passes the hamlet of Perlethorpe
Perlethorpe
Perlethorpe is a small village in Nottinghamshire. It is located 3 miles north-west of Ollerton, and is in the civil parish of Perlethorpe-cum-Budby. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 198...

, to be joined by the River Maun
River Maun
The River Maun is a river in Nottinghamshire, England. Its source lies in Kirkby-in-Ashfield, and from there it flows north east through Mansfield , Edwinstowe and Ollerton, these being the heart of the Sherwood Forest area...

, flowing northwards, and here called Whitewater. The Robin Hood Way
Robin Hood Way
The Robin Hood Way is a waymarked long-distance footpath in the Midlands of England in the United Kingdom.-The route:The Robin Hood way commemorates the famous folklore figure Robin Hood and starts from Nottingham Castle running to Edwinstowe....

, a long distance footpath, crosses soon afterwards, and a weir creates two channels again, the south one deemed to be the Maun and the north one the Meden. They remain roughly parallel as they are crossed by the B6387 road near Bothamsall
Bothamsall
Bothamsall is a village and civil parish in the Bassetlaw district of Nottinghamshire, England.According to the United Kingdom Census 2001 it had a population of 185.- History & Amenities :...

, a freight railway and the Robin Hood Way again. They diverge to the west of Markham Moor roundabout on the A1 road, pass under the road, and combine to form the River Idle
River Idle
The River Idle is a river in Nottinghamshire, England. Its source is the confluence of the River Maun and River Meden, near Markham Moor. From there, it flows north through Retford and Bawtry before entering the River Trent at Stockwith near Misterton...

. Just below the junction, the River Poulter
River Poulter
The River Poulter is a tributary river of the River Idle in Nottinghamshire, England, which rises near Scarcliffe in Derbyshire. It has supplied power for a number of mills along its route, most of which are now gone, although the mill ponds remain, and Cuckney mill building is still used as a...

 swells the flow.

Mills

The river near Pleasley Vale has been utilised to provide power since at least 1767, when two forges and a corn mill are known to have been operating. The forges were run by George Sitwell, and were called Nether and Upper forge. The engineered river channel made it a good site for further development, and a consortium of businessmen from Nottingham and drapers
Drapery
Drapery is a general word referring to cloths or textiles . It may refer to cloth used for decorative purposes – such as around windows – or to the trade of retailing cloth, originally mostly for clothing, formerly conducted by drapers.In art history, drapery refers to any cloth or...

 from Mansfield
Mansfield
Mansfield is a town in Nottinghamshire, England. It is the main town in the Mansfield local government district. Mansfield is a part of the Mansfield Urban Area....

 leased the vale and Pleasley Park in 1782, in order to construct water-powered cotton mill
Cotton mill
A cotton mill is a factory that houses spinning and weaving machinery. Typically built between 1775 and 1930, mills spun cotton which was an important product during the Industrial Revolution....

s. The Upper Mill (now called Mill 1) was built first, on the site of the previous corn mill, and was operational by 1785. The Lower Mill (now Mill 3) was completed seven years later at a cost of £1,190, and was much bigger. A manager's house and a row of ten houses for the workers were also completed in 1792. The mills supplied cotton to the expanding East Midland hosiery
Hosiery
Hosiery, also referred to as legwear, describes garments worn directly on the feet and legs. The term originated as the collective term for products of which a maker or seller is termed a hosier; and those products are also known generically as hose...

 industry. One of the original three businessmen was Henry Hollins, and by the early 18th century, the mills were run by William Hollins and Co. They were the first and one of the most successful cotton producers in the East Midlands.
The Hollins family managed the mills for many years, but from the 1830s were joined by the Pagets, who introduced steam power to the mills. Fire destroyed the Upper Mill on 25 December 1840, but it was rebuilt by 1844. The Lower Mill also burnt down, and was replaced in 1847. Newer equipment fitted as part of the rebuilding enabled the mills to stay competitive. William Hollins lived at Pleasley Vale, and oversaw the expansion of the community, with the construction of more houses for the workers, the provision of public facilities including a school, wash house, and a cooperative society, and attention to leisure activities by the establishing of a Mechanics Institute
Mechanics' Institutes
Historically, Mechanics' Institutes were educational establishments formed to provide adult education, particularly in technical subjects, to working men...

, a library and a cricket club. A company farm was also established. St Chad's Chapel and the vicarage were commissioned by Charles Paget in 1876. The Chapel was opened in 1881, but was reputedly built in 1861 at Stuffynwood, Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...

, and later moved to its present site. It has a small bell turret at its western end, and a number of its features mimic thirteenth and fourteenth century styles. Internally, there is a brass memorial to Paget and his wife Helen Elizabeth.

From the 1890s, the mills produced Viyella, a mixture of cotton with Merino wool, which produces a soft fabric. They continued to flourish, as various extensions show. The Upper Mill was extended in the 1890s, when a fourth storey was added, and again, probably in 1913, when extensions were added to the north and rear. A large combing
Combing
Combing is a method for preparing carded fibre for spinning. It separates out the short fibres by means of a rotating ring of steel pins. The fibres in the 'top' it produces, have been straightened and lie parallel to each other...

 shed, where cotton fibres were straightened and aligned prior to the production of fabric, was built just below it in 1913. This was a two-storey building, with a single storey wing at the back. It was extended in 1952, when an extra two floors were added to the main shed, and a three-storey block was added at the side. At this point, it became a mill, and is now called Mill 2. The Lower Mill was also extended, but because it was much larger than the Upper Mill when it was built, and the extensions were relatively small, it retains more of its original character. There were 980 workers employed at the site in 1934, but decline gradually set in. The first workers houses were demolished in 1961, to be followed by the school, the baths and the Mechanics Institute. By 1987, production had moved abroad, and the mills closed. Bolsover District Council
Bolsover (district)
Bolsover is a local government district in Derbyshire, England. Its main town is Bolsover.There are fourteen town and parish councils within the district.In addition to the town councils of Old Bolsover and Shirebrook, there are the parish councils of:...

 bought the mill buildings in 1992, using compulsory purchase powers, and they have been revitalised, to be used for light industry and offices. The mill ponds have also survived.

Points of interest

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