Buildings, Archaeology and Structures associated with Robinson's Mills on the River Leen.

George Robinson and David Melville were recorded as Bleachers in 1740. In 1742 there stood a paper mill on the east side of the River Leen, in the Parish of Bulwell (there since at least 1670) which had been converted to fulling. That year it was occupied by Mr Robinson and Mr Melvill (the mill was later called Old Mill).
In the 1770s the use of cotton was beginning to increase and linen was beginning to gradually fall away. The Robinsons moved in the direction of cotton spinning. A new mill was needed and land north of Walk Mill (already leased) was chosen. This Mill was called Top Mill. A third mill, Lower Mill, was built to the south of Old Mill.
Further down the valley was an old forge known as Bulwell Forge. This is where the 4th mill was built. For 2-300 years before George Robinson came to Bulwell there had been an Iron forge on the River Leen. Originally it had belonged to the monks of Newstead, but after the dissolution it passed into the Byron family. Lord Byron sold the forge together with its dam and surrounding land to the Duke of Devonshire. It then passed to the Duke of Portland by marriage settlement and he became George Robinson's landlord. The Mill was built 1787 and was 5 storeys high about 120 feet long and 30 feet wide.
A 5th Mill (New Mill) was then built close to Old Mill. The last Mill, Nither Mill (later known as Forest Mill) stood on the same 'Paper Mill Lands' that had been George's first bleach-filed and was built by 1794.
George Robinson died 1798 and the business was carried on by James Robinson and his youngest brother John. James bought out his brother in 1806 and formed a new partnership with his two elder sons Frederick and James. After 1815 Freerick left to join a local bank. James Robinson was left in charge helped by his younger brother George. They kept the business running, but disposed of it as a going concern 1821. Forge Mill however was not included in the deal. Forge Mill was sub-let to Thomas Gee, who converted it to a Corn Mill. 1838 Forge Mill was destroyed by fire. The roof and north wall fell in and the interior was totally gutted. The present buildingis 3 storeys with a cellar and probably represents the rebuilt lower storeys of the 1785 mill. (1)

Previous authors have had some doubt as to which Mill held the first steam engine. Using plans and drawings and other documents the Author (of this source) suggests that it was Lower (Middle) Mill. Further the Author suggests that the second engine was installed at Old (Grange) Mill, 1791. (2)

George Robinson settled in Bulwell 1737. He was in the cotton trade by the 1770s at Nether, Forest and Walk Mill. By 1780s there was a programme of mill building, with Forge Mill added in 1787. The mills were fed by the Leen using a series of aqueducts and ponds. The Leen was never really adequate to drive the water wheels, coupled with Lord Byron's activities which interferred with the water supply. There was a Law suit with him 1785. Steam engines would have been a viable alternative. February 1786 the first steam engine to drive a textile factory was put into one of the Robinson's cotton mills. The demolition of some mills in the 1830s makes it impossible to sat exactly where it first stood. What is known is it was a Boulton and Watt engine 'sun and planets' type of 10 horse power. By 1790 Boulton and Watt were drawign plans for a second one and was set up in a group of 3 mills. It is likely that the second one was set up in the mills on the northern side of what is now the track to Grange Farm. The first engine is unlikely to have been at Forge Mill as contemporary drawings show it in a Mill aligned north to south. (3)

OS, 1915, 1:2500, County Series 1915 (Map). SNT1024.

Morley D, 1997, Corn and Cotton - Waterpower in Notts (draft) (Unpublished document). SNT1693.

R. Sheppard, 2001, Moor Pond Wood, Papplewick: An Archaeological Desk-top Study (Unpublished document). SNT5146.

<1> Assoc for Industrial Arch, 1986, Industrial Archaeology Review (No.2) (Serial). SNT6316.

<2> Assoc for Industrial Arch, 1987, Ind Arch Review (No 2) (Article in serial). SNT182.

<3> Smith DM, 1965, The Industrial Archaeology of the East Midlands (Published document). SNT1304.