4-03-2026: Talk - History of Mills and Water in Burley
Chris Smyth, Burley resident, local history researcher, and member of Walkers Are Welcome, gave a very interesting and informative talk to a packed Shed this morning, about the long history of Mills & Water that have existed within the boundary of Burley in Wharfedale since its original Corn Mill of 1296!
Through the use of maps, sources from The Burley Archive, photographs taken on guided walks led by Chris, and his own extensive research, the story was told of how and why Burley in Wharfedale, Burley Woodhead and Stead have developed so much, by contributing to and benefitting from the wider Industrial Revolution in the north of England.
** Please see below extracts from the presentation.
** Please take a look below at details of a guided walk, led by Chris as part of a previous Burley Summer Festival.
** Why not test your knowledge, or perhaps learn a few facts about the subject, by completing the quick-quiz below (**with answers on page-2!)
Through the use of maps, sources from The Burley Archive, photographs taken on guided walks led by Chris, and his own extensive research, the story was told of how and why Burley in Wharfedale, Burley Woodhead and Stead have developed so much, by contributing to and benefitting from the wider Industrial Revolution in the north of England.
** Please see below extracts from the presentation.
** Please take a look below at details of a guided walk, led by Chris as part of a previous Burley Summer Festival.
** Why not test your knowledge, or perhaps learn a few facts about the subject, by completing the quick-quiz below (**with answers on page-2!)
