"Many times in later years people used to say what a funny place it was to have a mill – stuck in the middle of a wood. But it always seemed quite natural to us"
The recorded history of this picturesque corner of the West Riding dates back to the middle ages. In Saxon times, the Old Priest’s Way linked Dewsbury with Almondbury.
Later, it became the bridle Path, a route well-trodden by clothiers heading for Leeds’ markets. Liley Hall, which overlooked Hopton Valley from the south, is mentioned in
the Doomsday Book.
The Wheatley family came to the valley in the 16th century, prospering as farmers, cloth-makers and traders. In 1790, Henry Wheatley founded a mill, harnessing the force of
the natural streams which burst onto the valley floor to drive the waterwheel.
By 1802, the mill had already been converted to steam power, fuelled by coal mined from seams under the local woods. In 1812, a totally vertical textile mill was constructed –
a building that is now the oldest part of the current day Wheatley Park.
Henry Wheatley and Sons pioneered the manufacture of high quality apparel fabrics in cashmere and other rare fibres, and the firm continued to thrive during the Victorian
era. The mill became a major employer in the district. And as it developed, new machinery and buildings were added, including a dye-house and gas plant. At Woodbottom, new
cottages were built along the valley to house the workers and their families, and a field was laid out for the Hopton Mills Cricket Club.
Over the years, the mill continued to evolve, its fortunes waxing and waning with the economy, new technology and changing fashions. The post-war boom brought a surge in
orders and significant extensions to the New Mill in 1949. An ambitious new management team introduced a non-stop programme of improvement through the 1950s, re-shaping the
premises to accommodate modern production techniques and specialist equipment as the firm earned international renown for the variety and quality of its cloth.
The business was sold out of the Wheatley family in 1964, although they remain as landowners and custodians of the unique valley environment. In 1984, Camborne Fabrics
purchased the freehold of the site and buildings, and as Camira they were the last company to produce textile products at the mill, as recently as 2009. St James Securities
purchased the site from Camira in October 2007, and with Camira themselves as the all-important first tenant, the long process of transforming the mills into a rural office
park began.