The mill was built as a cotton mill by the Birkbecks of Settle in 1784 and the other buildings by the end of that century. With its own rows of cottages, miller's house, stables , cart sheds and smithy it is a perfectly preserved example of eighteenth century 'small is beautiful'. Set down by its source of power, the river, its communications, the road and the bridge (first built as early as 1539) and overshadowed by the medieval church and churchyard, the centre of its spiritual continuity, nature and man worked together here in harmony.

Though the mill wheel has ceased to turn and the children and grand-children of the workers are scattered far and wide we still respond to the beauty of the buildings they left behind.

During its life the mill has been a woollen mill hand-spinning yarn for the hand knitting industry in the Dale; corn mill, flax and cotton mill, stocking manufactury, at one time made the red material for Garibaldi's Red Shirts, and part of it was even for a time 'a Classical and Commercial Academy' kept by a Mr.Drumond described as a 'mathematical teacher of note'.

In 1852, the mill was burnt down and was sold by auction in October of that year (we sell reproductions of the poster advertising that sale). The present mill was built in the following year, five storeys high and twice the original length. The lower storeys were used for corn grinding and the upper storeys for carding and spinning yarn and knitting. The knitted hosiery manufacture lasted unitl about 1870, but the corn grinding continued until after the last war.

The mill was converted in 1912 into an up to date flour rolling plant and in the thirties the 30ft. water wheel was taken out and replaced by two Gilks and Gilchrist water turbines- still in position - and the latest milling machinery installed. Flour production ceased in 1958 and the mill was used as a cattle food depot until it was bought by Paul Brown in 1968. Part of the mill was sold to house part of a local collection of carriages and the Yorkshire Carriage Museum was opened the following year.