Updated 26 Dec 2008

WIRKSWORTH Parish Records 1600-1900

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Drawn in 1890 by William DOXEY

Printed 1836


A more recent photo from the air.

Willersley Castle

WILLERSLEY CASTLE, Cromford, was built in 1789/90 for Sir Richard ARKWRIGHT, who had purchased the Manor of Willersley in 1782. He was the cotton manufacturing entrepreneur, who had built his first cotton mills at Cromford about 1770. His work for the British cotton industry earned him a personal fortune and a Knighthood in 1786. He employed the Welshman, William THOMAS, as his Architect, who designed a picturesque house in classical style to suit the grandeur of its commanding position on the hills overlooking the River Derwent. While it was still being built, and the ARKWRIGHTs were living at the Rock House across the river at Cromford, the new house was completely gutted by fire on the night of 8th August 1791, and Sir Richard died a year later before he had ever lived in it. However, it was rebuilt (to designs by Thomas GARDNER and the locally-born Edward BLORE) and enjoyed by his eldest son, another Richard ARKWRIGHT, and then by his third son Peter and his descendants. However, Peter ARKWRIGHT's great-grandson did not wish to live there, and it was sold in 1936 to the Wesley Guild, who in 1991, still continued to run it as a conference and holiday centre.
--- [Ref: "The Derbyshire Country House", Maxwell Craven & Michael Stanley, Breedon Books, 1991, pp.223-5] sent by Sonia Addis-Smith, Bedford

The sketch was drawn by William DOXEY in 1890, GGFather of the author

Willersley Castle, the noble home raised with his well-earned wealth, stands on the south side of a commanding eminence, that forms the eastern boundary of the Derwent in its course through Matlock Dale: the river flowing at the foot of the hill, in a grand sweep eastward. The castle consists of an oblong, square building, with a circular tower rising from the centre of the roof, and a semicircular tower projecting from the front on each side of the entrance; and two wings, with a round tower at each angle: the whole structure is embattled, and the exterior walls are of white freestone.
[Engraving removed from an early 1800s leatherbound book, the reverse containing this text, see below]

Helen Rogers writes:
I have just found your web pages about Willersley and wanted to correct you on the date the Wesley Guild purchased the Castle. It was bought in 1928 and opened for business on 28th May 1929. The company now trades under the name Christian Guild Holidays and celebrated 75 years as a Guild Hotel and Conference Centre.

I hope that this is useful to you
Helen Rogers
Willersley Castle
Dates:
Photo taken:1929
Size:
Source:Sonia Addis-Smith
Click on photo for enlargement (on CD only)
Have any more information about this photo? Please e-mail the author on:

Text on rear of above tinted engraving, removed from an [unknown] early 1800s leatherbound book.

SIR R. ARKWRIGHT'S COTTON MILL, AND CASTLE.

SIR RICHARD ARKWRIGHT was born at Preston, in Lancashire, on December 23rd, 1732. His parents moved in an humble walk of life, and, therefore, it may be supposed that the amount of school-learning which he received was exceedingly scanty.

Little is known of the steps by which Arkwright was led to those inventions that raised him to distinction. His first effort in mechanics was an attempt to discover the perpetual motion. This direction having been given to his thoughts, it may naturally be supposed that the circumstances of his living in the midst of the linen and cotton manufacture, would lead him to consider the possibility of contriving some machine, by which the disadvantage of slow production might be overcome; and after much labour and application, he succeeded, in the year 1760, in obtaining his first patent for spinning with rollers.

The first mill erected for spinning cotton by this method was at Nottingham, and was worked by horse-power: but, in 1771, he built another at Cromford, in Derbyshire, to which motion was given by water.

Willersley Castle, the noble home raised with his well-earned wealth, stands on the south side of a commanding eminence, that forms the eastern boundary of the Derwent in its course through Matlock Dale: the river flowing at the foot of the hill, in a grand sweep eastward. The castle consists of an oblong, square building, with a circular tower rising from the centre of the roof, and a semicircular tower projecting from the front on each side of the entrance; and two wings, with a round tower at each angle: the whole structure is embattled, and the exterior walls are of white freestone.

No man ever better deserved his good fortune, or has a stronger claim on the respect and gratitude of posterity. His inventions have opened a new and boundless field of employment; and while they have conferred infinitely more real benefit on his native country than she could have derived from the absolute dominion of Mexico and Peru, they have been universally productive of wealth and enjoyments.

Sir Richard Arkwright died at his Castle at cromford, August 3rd, 1792, in the 60th year of his age, leaving a fortune estimated at little short of half a million.

Richard Arkwright, Esq., his son, continued the manufacture established by his father. In him were blended the high characters of the British manufacturer and country gentleman: he was much esteemed for his munificence. He died in 1843.