Feature at Cromford

[Brains]

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The dropped pin is by a semicircular bend in the wall, defined by an old grit stone wall. It is floored by newer concrete. This appears to be an the line of the sough running from the Bear Pit towards the canal and mill.
It looks like a capped shaft, but I have no idea! Do any of you (looking at you @History Trog ) know if this is part of Arkwright's sough and water management, or what it is...
Thanks

 

[Brains]

The Bear Pit out lined in red, with the water from upstream and and the two downstream outlets indicated in blue. Apparently one runs "direct" to the mill, and the other to the canal...

 

[mch]

The main source of water for the mill is the culvert that takes the water from Cromford Pond that flows over Arkwright Dam. I believe that the left hand outlet from the Bear Pit connects with this culvert. I recall about 45 years ago seeing a copy of a dissertation from a student at Leicester University that detailed Arkwright's water supply system and I'm sure that a plan showed surface connections in a couple of points in Market Place, one of which could well have been at the location you mention. In 1983 George Batey and Paul Barsby (WMRG) inspected parts of the system, finding that the condition of the stonework underground was in poor condition and deteriorating (and the air quality was poor) - I have a copy of their description and set of photographs; you may well be able to get a copy from WMRG.

 

[alanw]

The dropped pin is by a semicircular bend in the wall, defined by an old grit stone wall.

The O/S 1:2500 map of 1968 shows it a bit more clearly

Side by side georeferenced maps viewer - Map images - National Library of Scotland

maps.nls.uk

There's a square feature in the bend

 

[Lampwick]

There's a square feature in the bend

And TCB in big letters. I bet that manhole cover has GPO written on it. Does anyone have old photos of Cromford showing the telephone box?

 

[Lampwick]

Answered my own question. Image stolen from Cromford Memories Facebook page.

 

[Brains]

Implies that the wall was built to go round the phone box. Not as old as I assumed

It's still possible to enter the Bear Pit and go upstream, and taking a right turn will bring you to the overspill for the mill pond. Apparently the ginging is less than wonderful under the road

The sough has been followed recently (2026) upstream towards Black Rocks, until the air becomes too thin. This is thought to be just short of a blockage. There are air shafts, but mostly capped off. Other junctions become heavily silted

The Pit is locked and scheduled, access by permission only, especially as it is effectively in people's back gardens! A footpath passes by for those who wish to look

 

[History Trog]

Apologies – have been offline for a couple of days. Do not have much particular knowledge of this subject.
Attached are the two diagrams from the Sough Hydrology thesis of the late Colin Oakman. He wrote:

“The walled enclosure containing the tail drops some 8 feet to sough level, and also contains a drain connected to a sluice on the southern edge of Cromford mill pond (SK 29455690), which is 6 feet above sough level. Both the water from the sough and the mill pond flow under a concrete weir and then divide to go underground, one channel flowing to the Derwent, the other, now static, to what used to be the Arkwright mills at Cromford. A road drain also enters the enclosure.”

The following item amongst the PDMHS Collection might be helpful:

Box: Derbyshire 01Plastic Folder Report on the Cromford Sough Tail by Peter J. Naylor for Cromford Parish Council. Survey carried out on 29 September 2003.

It might also be worth noting that Alabaster Vein seems to cross at Cromford Sough tail ranging eastwards. Further west, towards Slingtor, it was a powerful rake but it seems to have faded out by Cromford Market Place.
Also, the southern branch of the Bonsall Fault crosses the Market Place, having followed, more or less, the line of Water Lane.

Further north, near the traffic lights, was the obscure Cromford Town Street Mine, active c. 1695-1725, with pumping shafts, on the Harp Edge Pipes (described in my Matlock book).

Thus, there is the potential for various mining remains in the area of Cromford Market Place.