Little John Mill (Brighouse)

From International Robin Hood Bibliography
Locality
Coordinate 53.702778, -1.774543
Adm. div. West Riding of Yorkshire
Vicinity Oakhill Road; formerly Clifton Common
Type Establishment
Interest Robin Hood name
Status Extant
First Record 1870
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Little John Mill
Little John Mill / Google Earth Street View.

By Henrik Thiil Nielsen, 2014-10-17. Revised by Henrik Thiil Nielsen, 2021-01-06.

Little John Mill began life as a water driven facility for fulling, scribbling and carding wool. It was built by a John Clegg in 1785 on a part of Clifton Common known as Ganger Ing. Later it was used by a succession of tenants for a variety of purposes, including silk processing and wire drawing. During Clegg's tenancy, which seems to have ended c. 1808, it was usually known as Clegg's Mill.[1] It is not clear when it acquired the name Little John Mill, but this had certainly happened by 1870.[2]A Robin Hood Mill in the vicinity was also built on land owned by the Armytage family of Kirklees Hall. Since they owned the land on which Robin Hood's alleged grave is found, it is a reasonable guess that they suggested these names for the mills.

Today Little John Mill is an industrial estate with several units let by different tenants.

Gazetteers

MS sources

The following papers among the "Muniments of Kirklees and the Armytage Family", at West Yorkshire Archive Service, Calderdale, refer to the Little John Mill:

  • Plan, KM/A/1384 (1870): "Of Robin Hood and Little John Mill at Clifton".
  • Copy valuation, KM/A/998 (Sep. 1870): "Of tenant's rights and fixtures at Little John Mill for which Sir George Armytage is to pay Abraham Crowther Pitchforth, with a schedule of fixtures".
  • Papers, KM/A/999 (1870-74): "Concerning Little John Mill during the occupation of Messrs. Pickering and Yeardley, including inventories of fixtures".
  • Draft lease, KM/A/1000 (1871): "From Sir George Armytage to Messrs. Pickering and Yeardley of Little John Mill, Brighouse, for 14 years, with related papers".
  • Tenancy agreements and other papers, KM/A/1001 (1871-89): "Concerning Little John Mill".
  • Draft tenancy agreements, KM/A/1019 (1885): "Between Sir George Armytage and James Yeardley for Little John Mill, Brighouse, with related papers".
  • Draft leases, KM/A/1020 (1889): "From Sir George Armytage to Tom Cockroft of Little John Mill, Brighouse, for 21 years and then from year to year, with related papers".
  • Lease, KM/A/1021 (23 Aug 1889): "From Sir George Armytage to Tom Cockroft of Brighouse, cabinet maker, of Little John Mill for 21 years and then from year to year at annual rents of £120 for the first 7 years and £145 thereafter".
  • Valuation, KM/A/1022 (Sep. 1889): ""Of machinery at Little John Mill".
  • Tenancy agreements and correspondence, KM/A/1024 (1889-93): "Concerning Little John Mill".
  • Tenancy agreement, KM/A/1025 (13 Jan. 1890): "Between George J. Armytage on behalf of Sir George Armytage and John Brearley for outhouses at Little John Mill".
  • Accounts, KM/A/1026 (1890): "For Little John Mill".
  • Tenancy agreement, KM/A/1027 (1890-92): "Between George J. Armytage and William Wood for room and power in Little John Mill and papers concerning Wood's bankruptcy".
  • Accounts, KM/A/1030 (1891): "For Little John Mill".
  • Papers, KM/A/1032 (1892): "Concerning the bankruptcy of George Wood, tenant of Little John Mill, Clifton".
  • Tenancy agreement, KM/A/1033 (1892-93): "Between Sir George Armytage and Messrs. Barry and Savory for room and power in Little John Mill and correspondence concerning their occupation".
  • Certificate, KM/A/1035 (Apr. 1894): "Of safety for boiler (at Little John Mill.)"
  • Copy of notice, KM/A/1036 (27 Oct. 1894): "To John Brearley that the whole of the Little John Mill premises have been let to James Dilley."
  • Tenancy agreement and other papers, KM/A/1037 (1894-96): "Concerning Little John Mill".
  • Tenancy agreement and other papers, KM/A/575 (1896-1900): "Concerning Little John Mill, Clifton".
  • Tenancy agreements, KM/A/1040 (1897): "For outhouses at Little John Mill".
  • Plan for pipes, KM/A/1002 (19th century): "(At Little John Mill?)".
  • Plan, KM/A/1385 (19th century): "Of Robin Hood and Little John Mill, Clifton".
  • Particulars, KM/A/1034 (Late 19th century): "Of Little John Mill and rental for rooms".
  • Copy plan, KM/A/1388 (Late 19th - early 20th century): ""Of Little John Mill let to Dilley and Son".
  • Papers, KM/A/1042 (1904-1907): "Concerning the insuring of a boiler at Little John Mill, Brighouse".
  • Tenancy agreements and other papers, including a plan, KM/A/1043 (1905-11): "Concerning Little John Mill".
  • Tenancy agreement and other papers, KM/A/628 (1907-17): "Concerning land at Little John Mill".
  • Letters, KM/A/395 (1937-38): "Concerning the use of a cottage site near Little John Mill for parking".

Background

Brief mention

Also see


Notes

  1. See Malcolm Bull's Calderdale Companion: Mills & Mines L and MS sources section below.
  2. See MS sources section below.