Springwater Mill

This chimney is the most substantial of the remains of this interesting industrial location.

The mill had several uses throughout its life, but it appears to have originated as a bone and madder grinding mill, probably being closely linked with Strines Print Works as a supplier of red-madder dye. This substance was extracted from the roots of the madder plant, and the preliminary process would be the grinding of these roots to a powder. Strines Print Works was established about 1790, and the bone and madder grinding mill might be similarly dated. Cotton spinning also took place in this area about that time, as Pigot's Directory, 1824-25 lists a firm called Mosley and Howard as cotton spinners at Strines Hall. The mill building was offered for lett ing in an advertisement of 12 July 1833 in the Stockport Advertiser which reads, 'All that erection or building at Turf Lee lately occupied as a bone and madder mill with steam engine, boiler, shafting, reservoir and a spring of water, and one or two cottages adjoining thereto. The building is 2 storeys high, 14 yards long x 12 yards wide, and the engine is 10 hp. Water from a rock spring, perfectly clean, at 40 gallons per minute. The property is near good roads and within a short distance from the Peak Forest Canal. The premises are well adapted for printing silks or bleaching purposes'.

It seems that the building was taken by a Mr Thomas Bruce Jnr, of Marple, and converted into a calico print works, but the business was short lived and must not have prospered, as a sale notice of 15 April 1836 in the Stockport Advertiser reads:

'To be sold by auction at the print works of Mr Thomas Bruce, Jnr of Marple, known as the Springwater Print Works, all stock in trade, machinery, utensils and materials for the printing of calicos consisting of In Machine Room - a number of copper rollers with the newest patterns, one two-colour machine frame for same. In Boiler House and Stove Room - drying rails and perforated cylinder for steaming pieces. In Dye House - a Fly Dung Vessel with rollers complete, and two dye cisterns, etc. In Wash House - dash wheel, a square wood cistern and winch, a pair of squeezers, fly winch and cistern. In Print Shop - 10 tables with frames, tier and tubs complete, 2 tables and frames not set up.

In Edging Room - rails and pieces for hanging pieces on. In Drug Room - a quantity of drugs of various kinds. In Colour Shop - a large copper pan for decocting, colour pots and mugs copper pan and bath for making colours, one square copper pan and two other copper pans.

The above works are well worthy of the attention of persons engaged in the trade, or desirous of embarking thereon. The works have lately been completed at considerable expense, and are in the best possible repair and working condition.

There is an excellent and unfailing spring of water, and a steam engine of 8 hp'.

Another firm appears to have taken the premises for printing, but their occupation seems to have been brief in the extreme, for an advertisement of 10 September 1836 also in the Stockport Advertiser states, 'Sale by auction of Turf Lee Mill. The mill, buildings, reservoir and water privileges there situated, used as a print works and in the occupation of Messrs Briar and Dutton, together with the steam engine apparatus and a variety of printing utensils now on the premises, in use and in excellent condition. The spring produces 100 gallons of water per minute, and never fails in drought seasons.

It is the purest and best adapted for printing in the district. The premises have been long established'.

Another change of use took place either at this time or later to bleaching, and a further sale notice in the Advertiser dated 26 October 1849 offers, 'Springwater Mill at Turf Lee, now used as a bleach works, fitted with engine, boiler, etc, and now in the occupation of Mr James Cooper as tenant'. Throughout its life the mill has been referred to locally as the 'Bone Mill1, in the 1851 Census records for Marple there are cottages listed under the heading of 'Bone Mill' which must have been situated adjoining the mill. James Cooper, described as a Master Bleacher, and his wife occupied one of them, and two men living in the other two are described as bleachers. There is a further mention of 'The Springwater Bleach Works of Mr Cooper' in an account of a walk round the Marple Boundary in 1855. Finally, an advertisement in the Stockport Advertiser dated 30 September 1904 offered for sale 'The plot of land partly covered with water and used as a reservoir at Turf Lee in Marple,and also all the buildings formerly used as a bleach works and known by the name of Springwater Mill, now in a ruinous condition’.

All that remains apart from the chimney oare the mill dam, with a swampy area which was the mill pond, and various ruined buildings and walls.