Press release for the Culture Recovery Fund Grant

TORR VALE MILL RECEIVES A LIFELINE GRANT FROM

THE GOVERNMENT’S CULTURE RECOVERY FUND

Torr Vale Mill in New Mills has received a financial boost from the government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund to help fund repairs during the coronavirus pandemic.

Lifeline grants from the Culture Recovery Fund are designed to protect heritage sites and ensure that jobs and access to culture and heritage in local communities are protected during the months ahead.

Torr Vale Mill has been awarded funds for essential construction work to repair an external wall and prevent any erosion of an important piece of English Heritage. The grant has come at a great time of renovation for the mill as the repairs to the roof come to an end and the site can welcome more visitors in the future.

Grants of up to £25,000 are being allocated to cherished heritage sites, like Torr Vale Mill, across the country to cover urgently needed maintenance and repairs. This vital funding comes from a part of the Culture Recovery Fund called the Heritage Stimulus Fund and is administered on behalf of the government by Historic England.

As well as rescuing precious heritage buildings in need, the injection of cash will protect livelihoods for some of the most vulnerable heritage specialists and contractors working in the sector.

Culture Secretary, Oliver Dowden, said: “These grants will help the places that have shaped our skylines for hundreds of years and that continue to define culture in our towns and cities. We’re protecting heritage and culture in every corner of the country to save jobs and ensure it's there for future generations to enjoy.”

Torr Vale Mill is a Grade 2* listed building and was built as a water-powered cotton spinning and weaving factory c.1790. It is a near-complete example of a multi-phase integrated cotton spinning and weaving factory, which retains extensive evidence for both water- and steam-powered phases of manufacture, buildings which represent each stage of the development chronology of the site, and examples of both fireproof and conventional timber-floored construction. There is also clear evidence of manufacturing processes and power transmission having been adapted to the constraints of the steeply sided valley it sits within. As such it represents a remarkable survival, its significance enhanced by the fact that it has remained in continuous use for textile manufacture from the 1790s.

Torr Vale Mill has been in renovations since it was bought at the end of production. It has been awarded a grant from the Governments Culture Recovery Funds to help through the current challenges faced during the pandemic. The mill currently offers holiday lets, office space, commercial lettings and an events venue and licenced bar.

Daniel and Philippa Cunningham, Owners of Torr Vale Mill said: “We’re very grateful to receive this grant which will allow us to continue to develop and maintain Torr Vale Mill during this period of uncertainty. We hope we can provide innovative services which react to the circumstance in which we all find ourselves and further engage people locally and further afield in the coming months through some of our plans. Torr Vale Mill is a grade II* listed building and an important piece of heritage. As a former industrial cotton mill on the banks of the River Goyt in New Mills, it is noted for being the longest continuous production of textile production in the UK, being built in the 1780’s and only closing its doors in 2000. We want to bring new life to the building and show it’s potential as a local and national landmark.”

Duncan Wilson, Historic England Chief Executive said: “Historic places across the country are being supported by the Government’s grants awarded under the Culture Recovery Fund. This funding is a lifeline which is kick-starting essential repairs and maintenance at many of our most precious historic sites, so they can begin to recover from the damaging effects of COVID-19.

“It is also providing employment for skilled craft workers who help keep historic places alive and the wheels of the heritage sector turning. Our shared heritage is an anchor for us all in these challenging times and this funding will help to ensure it remains part of our collective future.”

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For more information contact: Torr Vale Mill Ltd, enquiries@torrvalemill.co.uk