Known locally as 'The Park Under The Town' and sitting 100 feet below ground level at its lowest point, The Torrs is certainly an unusual location yet filled with fascinating history and where two rivers - the Sett and Goyt - meet.

The rivers are hugely important to The Torrs because towards the end of the 18th century, riverside sites like this were quickly becoming sought-after locations to power water mills for the ever expanding cotton industry. 

By the early 1800s, no fewer than five mills were occupied in The Torrs alone.

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Skip on a century to the early 1900s when the combination of bankruptcy, fire and continuing poor access contributed to the industrial decline to all but Torr Vale Mill. With all the other mills in ruins and used as a dumping ground, The Torrs very quickly became an area dangerous to the public and remained so for over 50 years. It was in 1970 when the outstanding recreational value of The Torrs was recognised and the area was cleaned and officially opened to the public in 1974.