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For centuries before 1775 New Mills consisted of scattered hill farms, cottages and hamlets. This dispersed rural population made its living from farming, small holding, spinning and weaving, with a few small stone quarries and coal pits. Streams and rivers provided water power for various mills. In the late eighteenth century with the onset of the industrial revolution, there came a rapid and fundamental change, newly constructed mills were introduced to the Torrs on the banks of the two rivers and a new town quickly grew up. New Mills became an important centre for cotton spinning, bleaching, dyeing and printing. By 1819 there were eight spinning mills, two printworks and two bleach works. Technical men, trained in New Mills, have gone to all parts of the world where calico printing and bleaching are known. As a centre for such work, New Mills also attracted people from as far afield as Scotland to live and work. It was in New Mills that John Potts in 1821 first conceived the idea of using methods used by engravers in the Potteries for calico printing. His experiments were successful and were the origin of the style of engraving calico printing rollers throughout Europe and America. From about the middle of the nineteenth century steam power was introduced leading to a new phase of mill building on the banks of the Peak Forest Canal at Newtown.

Coal was worked in and around New Mills for centuries. The earliest known date is 1599 but in the early eighteenth century much coal was taken from shallow pits high up on Ollersett and Beard Moors. As the nineteenth century got underway many new, deeper pits were opened up as the demand grew from houses, mills and workshops. Eventually there were over thirty small mines working on the hillside around the town.

New Mills has a rich transport history dominated by bridges and viaducts. Besides the Peak Forest Canal, which opened in 1796, and a network of ancient paths and tracks, there are several turnpike roads, two high level bridges over the Torrs, three railways and the A6 - a major trunk road. A fourth railway - to Hayfield - was closed in the 1960s.

The latest construction, the 2000 Torrs Millennium Walkway has created an uninterrupted off road walking route from urban Greater Manchester to the high moors of the Derbyshire Peak District.

Whilst every care has been taken in compiling this publication and the statements contained herein are believed to be correct, the publishers and promoters cannot accept responsibility for any inaccuracies. Reproduction of any part of this publication in any format, without permission, is strictly forbidden. Photographs courtesy of Stephen Lewis, Andrew Truman and Councillor Martin Doughty.