Higher Walton, formerly Moon’s Mill
Higher Walton, was located within Walton-le-Dale, and has a history intertwined with the area’s industrial development. The village was formerly known as Moon’s Mill, a name that reflects its early association with textile production during the industrial era.
Moon’s Mill was part of the wave of cotton and textile mills that transformed the landscape of Lancashire in the 18th and 19th centuries. Positioned near the River Darwen, it benefitted from water power in its earliest days before later adopting steam power as technology advanced. The mill played a role not just in local industry but also in shaping the community, providing employment and influencing the growth of housing and infrastructure in Higher Walton. The original Moon’s Mill has gone, but the textile industry remained, for a time. Moon’s Mill once stood on land to the north of Kittlingbourne Brow. This site was shared with an Iron Foundry at the time, and when the mill was demolished the area became the entrance to the foundry.
Over time, the area around the mill came to be known as Higher Walton. While the mill itself has gone a later mill owned by occupied by Messrs G and R Dewhurst still dominates the skyline. This later mill is no longer involved in the textile industry, but it is still in use. The mills’ legacy also remains in the layout of streets, some older buildings, and in the memory of local families who lived and worked nearby. Historical maps and records indicate that Higher Walton developed gradually around the industrial hub, reflecting a common pattern in Lancashire where mills spurred the growth of small communities.
It is interesting to note that a couple of local features seemed to be named differently. The hill leaded into the village from the west, known as Kittlingbourne Brow is labelled as ‘Kittingburn Brow’ and the Kittingburn Toll bar is also mentioned. Crossing the River Darwen, the bridge is labelled as ‘Can Bridge’, but it is normally referred to as Cann Bridge locally.
Today, Higher Walton retains a blend of residential and industrial heritage. While much has changed since the days of Moon’s Mill, the area continues to reflect its industrial past through surviving buildings, street names, and its place within the wider story of Walton-le-Dale.
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Higher Walton Mill
A water-powered mill appears at this location on Yates’ map of 1784, situated on the Manybrooks at the foot of Kittlingbourne. In 1790, a deed refers to a ‘carding engine dam’ at Many Brooks, and in 1796 a local newspaper advertised a ‘cotton weft factory to let, at Kitlin Burn, Walton-le-Dale…details from Mr Swainson of Preston’. During this period, the mill appears to have been used both for cotton spinning and corn milling: in 1799, John Maude, a cotton spinner, insured machinery in a water corn mill at Kiltingburn, Walton-le-Dale, for £100, with stock valued at £70.
In 1833, a newspaper advertisement offered for sale, by order of the assignees of Robert Haslam, a quantity of cotton-spinning machinery at the cotton mill at Many Brooks, Walton-le-Dale. The machinery included 12 carding engines, two drawing frames, two dyers’ frames, four mules of 156 spindles each, two mules of 172 spindles each, two bobbin and fly frames, one double blowing machine, and other equipment.
The mill, referred to as Many Brooks Mill, was advertised for let with immediate possession in 1840 and was described as suitable for spinning or power-loom cloth manufacture. The offer also included 22 cottages adjacent to the mill. The 1848 first edition Ordnance Survey 1:10,560 map identifies the site as a cotton factory, showing a relatively small complex on the south side of the River Darwen.
The mill expanded over time, eventually covering 7.21 acres, with sheds containing 600 looms. In 1860, the western block was constructed. The site included two engine houses: one at the east end serving the original spinning block, and another at the west end serving the 1860 addition. By 1865, the mill housed 41,100 mule spindles and appears to have been operated by the Rodgett Brothers, who are mentioned as mill owners in an 1867 newspaper advertisement. However, Worrall (1891) records the mill as owned by G & R Dewhurst, operating 77,288 spindles and 1,168 looms.
The mill was surveyed on 19 October 1897 by Myers, Veevers & Myers, valuers. At that time, it was occupied by G & R Dewhurst and powered by a four-cylinder beam compound engine. The complex included offices, scutching room, boiler house, engine house, mill, sheds, a sizing and taping room, cloth and winding warehouse, weaving shed, yarn warehouse, and two chimneys.
The mill survives to the present day.
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Township Walton-le-Dale – A History of the County of Lancaster
Higher Walton, formerly called Moon’s Mill, is a village situated a mile east from Walton-le-Dale on the Blackburn road. There are two cotton factories, also yarn and piece dyeing works. Darwen Bank, standing in its own grounds of 70 acres, occupies an eminence near the village from which extensive and beautiful views of the neighbourhood may be obtained. Prospect Hill, the residence of Mr. William Gent, occupies a similar position.
From ‘Townships: Walton-le-Dale’, in A History of the County of Lancaster:
Volume 6, ed. William Farrer and J Brownbill (London, 1911), pp. 289-300.
Access via British History Online at:
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/lancs/vol6/pp289-300
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Moon’s Mill
Moon’s Mill had become established for cotton spinning by 1793, when the partnership of Timothy Pollard and Hugh Moss, cotton weft spinners there, was dissolved. Soon after, Robert Hilton and Nicholas Rigby appear to have taken over, since they insured machinery at a Walton cotton mill in 1794. In 1798 the mill was advertised for sale by Hilton’s assignees following his bankruptcy. The notice described it as a newly erected four-storey building, 21 yards long by 10½ yards wide, partly used as a corn mill and partly for cotton spinning. The spinning section contained six mules (each with 228 spindles), one carding engine and one drawing frame.
The purchaser was Messrs Salisbury & Co., who adapted the premises for cotton spinning alone. A serious fire in February 1811 led to the sale of the Salisbury estate in 1814 to Livesey and Bailey. The mill was noted in the 1816 House of Commons Select Committee report on the employment of children in manufactories, and James and John Livesey were listed as manufacturers there in 1818. By 1829 James Livesey was named alone.
The mill was advertised to let in 1834, and was subsequently acquired by Miles Rodgett, cotton spinner. The first edition Ordnance Survey map records the site as Moon’s Mill. Around 1850 Rodgett built a second mill alongside the first as part of his expansion. By 1865 the works contained 32,960 mule spindles across 16 mules, together with 41,200 throstle spindles.
Although later adapted for use as a foundry, parts of the original complex still survive.
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HIGHER WALTON, formerly Moons Mill
HIGHER WALTON, formerly called Moons Mill, is an ecclesiastical parish, formed 7 February, 1865, from Walton-le-Dale; it is a compact village, on the Blackburn old road, containing rows of cottages. The church of All Saints, standing on an eminence overlooking the village and built in 1861—2, at a cost of £6,000, is an edifice of stone in the Early English style, from designs by Mr. E. G. Paley, architect, of Lancaster, and consists of chancel, nave, transept, south aisle, south porch and a tower, with spire, which was added in 1871 at a cost of £700: in the tower are 7 bells, of which 6 were presented by the late Edward Rodgett esq.: the chancel is handsomely decorated and there are three stained windows at the east end, erected by the late Edward Rodgett esq. to the memory of his brother Richard Bashall Rodgett, besides others, two of which were added in 1886 by the parishioners in memory of the Rodgett family, and there is one, erected in 1891, to the late G. Dewhurst esq. by his work people: the pulpit is of stone and marble; the brass eagle lectern and reredos were given as a memorial to the late Edward Rodgett esq. by his widow: there are sittings for 604 persons, half of which are free. The register dates from the year 1862. The living is a vicarage, net yearly value £290, with residence, in the gift of the Bishop of Manchester and the vicar of Blackburn alternately, and held since 1892 by the Rev. George Bladon B.A, of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. The Wesleyans have a chapel here. Here are the cotton factories of Messrs. G. and R. Dewhurst Limited and the Gregson Lane Co. Lim. and the yarn and piece dyeing works of Messrs. F. A. Gatty and Co. Lim. Darwen Bank, now (1904) unoccupied, is pleasantly situated on an eminence on the south bank of the river Darwen, standing in its own grounds of about 70 acres, which are well laid out and beautifully wooded and contain two large rookeries. Prospect Hill, the residence of William Gent esq. is also on an eminence, and commands very extensive and beautiful views of the surrounding neighbourhood. Lieut.-Col. Sir James de Hoghton bart. of Hoghton Tower, Preston, is lord of the manor. Mrs. Kynnersley and Mr. Whittaker and G. and R. Dewhurst esqrs. are the principal landowners. The soil is various, partly clayey and sandy; subsoil, various, chiefly pasture land and market gardens. The population of the ecclesiastical parish in 1901 was 2,640.
Taken from Kelly’s Directory of Lancashire (published in 1905)
Cann Bridge
The origins of the name Cann Bridge are not clear, but its name has been attached to the area for the last three or four centuries, at least. An older version of the bridge survived until 1920 when it was rebuilt. The doesn’t appear to be any photographs of the earlier bridge, but it was captured on a watercolour painting from 1846. This is from around the same time as the first Ordnance Survey maps of the area were made, and confirm that the village was still known as Moon’s Mill at that point in time.
The first mention of the name, that I am aware of is from Thomas Bellingham’s seventeenth century diaries. On January 30th 1690, Bellingham wrote:
Ye 30th. A fayr day. Having no prayers this morning, ye Collonell [Rawstorne], Mr. Croston, and I walked to Walton. From thence a a large Circuite, by Cann bridge [across the Darwen at Higher Walton]. I sup’t and din’d. About 5 a clock Mr. Langton came and sate with us till 10.
An article for the entitled “The hundred bridges of the hundred of Blackburn in the seventeenth century”, written for the The Record Society of Lancashire and Cheshire (Volume 98) by A. Langshaw, J.P. in May 1946, has earlier reference to Cann Bridge. Langshaw writes:
The bridges over the Darwen were Darwen Bridge, Cann Bridge and Bannister Bridge, with Burscough Bridge over the Mill Goit leading in the road from Mellor Brook.
He goes on to say:
Cann Bridge appears to have been a wooden structure until 1646, for in April in that year it was ordered that an order for £103 should be issued upon the Hundred for a bridge ” to be built of stone for carts and carriages.” It was not until 1662 that Burscough Bridge, lying on the secondary road from Blackburn to Preston, was made into a cart bridge, and at the same time the roll was issued to cover the cost of ” purchasing a new way there.”
A list of the century bridges maintained by the Hundred of Blackburn, compiled solely from Petitions to Quarter Sessions at Preston, and from the Minutes and Orders Books of the Justices from 1648 and 1626 respectively.
OVER RIVER DARWEN.
55. Cann Bridge. MO. 1635. (Minutes and Orders Books of the Justices from 1648 and 1626)
The next evidence, aside from it being seen on an 1848 Ordnance Survey map as ‘Can Bridge’, is on a watercolour painting that has ended up in the Lancashire Archives. The view is looking eastward along the River Darwen, downstream, towards the Cann Bridge and the Farmers Arms Public House.
The colour has been adjusted. I used a photo editing software to balance the colour at bit. The paper has become very dark over the years, or at least it seemed that way. The original can be seen in the Lancashire County Council Red Rose Collections:
https://redrosecollections.lancashire.gov.uk/view-item?i=216345
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The following article, from the Preston Chronicle newspaper in 1860, shows Cann Bridge being detailed in a request for tender on a seven year long bridge maintenance agreement.
CONTRACTS FOR THE REPAIR OF ROADS ADJOINING PUBLIC BRIDGES.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that it is the inten-tion of Her Majesty’s Justices of the Peace for the County Palatine of Lancaster, assembled at the General Quarter-Session of the Peace for the said County, to be held by adjournment at Preston, on Wednesday, the fourth day of April next, to contract pursuant to the Sta tute for the repair and keeping in repair, for a term of seven years, the Roads upon, over, and adjoining the Jander-mentioned Public Bridges, situate in the Hundreds of Blackburn and Leyland, in the said County of Lancaster.
AND NOTICE IS HEREBY ASLO GIVEN, that the Bridge masters of the said Hundreds of Blackburn and Leyland are accordingly prepared to receive tenders for the repairing and keeping in repair, for a term of seven years, the carriage ways and footpaths upon, and the surface water drains upon and under, and at the ends of, the following Public. Bridges, in the said Hundreds of Blackburn and Leyland, viz.:
IN THE HUNDRED OF BLACKBURN.
Lot 10.
Name of Bridge. Length of Road.
Cann Bridge, near Walton…. 52 yards.
Advertisements & Notices
Date: Saturday, Jan. 14, 1860
Publication: Preston Chronicle
Gale Primary Sources, British Library Newspapers:
https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/Y3207453340/BNCN?u=lancs&sid=bookmark-BNCN&pg=1&xid=4e5e9584
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Aerial Photo – EAW052033
The following is an aerial photograph of Higher Walton taken soon after the end of World War II by an RAF photographer.
Date flown: 9th May 1946
Sortie: RAF/3G/TUD/UK/188
Photographer & Pilot: RAF
Source Historic England Archive, RAF photography (ref. af_3g_tud_uk_188_vp7_5582)
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The hundred bridges of the hundred of Blackburn in the seventeenth century
The Historic Society of Lancashire & Cheshire (Volume 98) by A. Langshaw, J.P. in May 1946
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Moon’s Mill is also mentioned in the following article.