Cromford

Cromford is a village of approximately 1400 inhabitants (2011) in Derbyshire, in the wooded valley of the river Derwent, 17 miles (25 km) north of Derby.

Understand

Cromford Mill

The area from Masson Mill in Cromford to the Silk Mill in Derby was declared a UNESCO Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site in recognition of the significant sites in the valley that influenced the development of the Industrial Revolution.

Get in

By train

By rail from Derby on the Derwent Valley Line, operated by East Midlands Trains; railway station is a short distance outside the village, a level walk of about 3/4-mile (allow at least 15 minutes).

By car

On the main A6 Derby to Manchester trunk road. Nearest motorway is M1: J26 if travelling from the south or J28 if travelling from the north.

By bus

National Express service 440 daily from Manchester and London via Matlock. TransPeak long-distance bus line from Derby to Manchester and return stops in the village; daytime services approx every hour. TransPeak is also good for accessing the Peak District heartland, stopping at Bakewell and Buxton and various scenic locations. Also served by Trent Barton 6.1 Derby-Bakewell service via Belper, Wirksworth and Matlock.

Get around

Walk.

See

• 1 Cromford Mill, Mill Lane. The first water-powered cotton spinning mill developed by Richard Arkwright in 1771. Buildings are being restored, an informative tour available but little machinery to see.  
• 2 Masson Mill. Sir Richard Arkwright's water-powered cotton spinning mill built in 1783. Now houses a museum of spinning and weaving machinery with self-guided tours and regular demonstrations.  
• 3 Cromford Wharf. Canal warehouse buildings and the northern terminus of the Cromford Canal, built in 1794.  

Do

• 1 High Peak Trail. Walk or cycle the path of the old The Cromford and High Peak Railway which was opened in 1831. Trail starts at High Peak Junction, just south of the village. 

Buy

• 1 Quiltessential, Mill Road, ☏ +44 1629 825936. Specialist fabric shop. 
• 2 Scarthin Books, The Promenade, Scarthin, Cromford DE4 3QF, ☏ +44 1629 823272, nickscarthin@gmail.com. Monday-Saturday 9AM-6PM, Sunday 10AM-6PM. New, second-hand, rare and antiquarian, music, café, publishing. (updated Mar 2016)

Eat

• 1 The Market Place Restaurant, 16/18 The Market Place, ☏ +44 1629 822444. 
• 2 Biddy's Tea Rooms (The Old Bakery), 11-13 Market Place, ☏ +44 1629 820802. 

Drink

• 1 The Boat Inn, Scarthin, ☏ +44 1629 258083. 

Sleep

• 1 Alison House Hotel, Intake Lane (Three miles S of Matlock on A6), ☏ +44 1629 822211. Small country house-style hotel in quiet setting, own grounds and rural views. Convenient for industrial heritage Arkwright's Cromford Mill and historic village of Cromford. Family rooms available. £55-£105. 
• 2 Greyhound Hotel Cromford, Market Place, ☏ +44 1629 822551. Built in 1778 by Sir Richard Arkwright. 

Connect

As of March 2024, Cromford and the A6 have 4G from all UK carriers. 5G has not reached this area.

Go next

• Matlock
• Crich Tramway Village home of the National Tramway Museum

Routes through Cromford

Buxton ← Matlock ←

N  SE

→ Belper → Derby