The Parish Church of the Holy Trinity was built in early English style in 1848.
In the east window is a memorial to George Herbert Strutt, who was born in Milford and built the schools at Belper.
Milford was named for its river-crossing, on an ancient route from Derby to the Peak district. The power of the Derwent was used from medieval times to run a corn-mill, dying and fulling mills, and iron and scythe forges. Jedediah Strutt, a farmer turned hosier, recognised the potential of the site. Inventor of the Derby rib machine, Strutt owned a Derby silk mill, and had set up cotton mills in Belper.
In 1781, he bought land in Milford to build a cotton spinning mill. It was one of a series of textile milles constructed on the Derwent between Matlock and Derby during the Industrial Revolution.
These pioneering developments, which included the creation of new communities to house and cater for the workforce they required, are now recognises as being of international importance.
The Milford Mill complex eventually included spinning, bleaching and dying mills, as well as foundries, joiners’ workshops, a gas-works and a corn-mill. The Warehouse, constructed in 1793, was an early attempt by William Strutt, Jedediah’s eldest son. To design a fire-proof multi-storey structure. Later, and more successful, attempts at fire-proofing are embodies in the Dyehouse building, near the bridge. Whilst almost all the early mill buildings were demolished in the 1950s and ‘60s, much of the associated industrial housing has survived. Many of these houses were built by the Strutts, from the late 18th century onwards, transforming Milford from a riverside hamlet into a company village. The Strutts also built the school, created several farms to supply produce for their workers, helped establish the village’s various religious and social buildings.
The road bridge, with its two elegant segmental arches was opened in 1793 was principally funded by Jedediah Strutt, it was widened in 1906. The bridge carries the A6 through the village.
Milford House located on the A6 just south of Milford was built in 1792 for Jedediah Strutt. Today this building is a nursing home for elderly.
Where the Mill House public house stands today was once the site of the Mill complex built during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, it was powered by water from the Derwent channelled into a goyt. The wheel-pits may still be seen near the Mill House. It was demolished in 1964. The bell which used to hang in the Mill clock-tower can now be seen above the goyt, beside the Dyehouse just before you cross the road bridge.
Riverside Garden centre foot bridge:
The metal foot-bridge over the river Derwent was built in 1982 and replaced the
1826 suspension bridge which was designed and built by William Strutt, Jedediah’s eldest son, on the site of the ancient ford. It was unfortunately demolished in 1946. The metal base plate of the original bridge can still be seen today, near the new foot-bridge.
The railway passes through Milford, just to the west of the village via an underground tunnel for a distance of 800 Metres. It emerges on the north/west part of Milford near Chevin Road. High on North Lane you can see a large tower (Photo ref 14)which was used as a sighting tower for the railway running directly underneath it. This was used a a method of making sure the tunnel that was dug lined up correctly.
Photo 33 shows the church of the Holly Trinity which was built in 1848 at a cost of £2,000. In front of it (the junction of Hopping hill and Matlock road A6) stands the Milford War memorial (photo 32) which was erected in 1926.
To view large versions of any of the photographs below, simply click on a thumbnail.
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