The Arkwright Society is a registered charity engaged in the conservation of industrial monuments in Derbyshire

Derbyshire

Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...

, focusing on the water mills of Lumsdale, Ashford, Cromford and Slinter Wood. It is named after Richard Arkwright

Richard Arkwright

Sir Richard Arkwright , was an Englishman who, although the patents were eventually overturned, is often credited for inventing the spinning frame — later renamed the water frame following the transition to water power. He also patented a carding engine that could convert raw cotton into yarn...

 who founded the world's first successful water powered cotton spinning mill in Cromford

Cromford

Cromford is a village, two miles to the south of Matlock in the Derbyshire Dales district in Derbyshire, England. It is principally known for its historical connection with Richard Arkwright, and the Cromford Mill which he built here in 1771...

 in 1771. The society was founded after a festival in 1971 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of this feat.

The society bought the site of Sir Richard Arkwright’s Cromford Mill

Cromford Mill

Cromford Mill was the first water-powered cotton spinning mill developed by Richard Arkwright in 1771 in Cromford, Derbyshire, England, which laid the foundation of his fortune and was quickly copied by mills in Lancashire, Germany and the United States...

 in 1979 and have since restored its Grade 1 listed buildings. The work has cost four million pounds to date and 35 people are employed by the society at the site. Thieves stole a historic clock from the site in 2003.

The Society opened the Cromford Venture Centre in 1996 to provide accommodation for young people studying the industrial history of the region. It also owns Slinter Wood, a Site of Special Scientific Interest

Site of Special Scientific Interest

A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...

 and a Special Area of Conservation, Slinter Cottage and Dunsley Meadows Local Nature Reserve.

The Society also manages the Canal Warehouse at Cromford Wharf

Cromford Wharf

Cromford Wharf is at Cromford in Derbyshire, England.It is located at the northern terminus of the Cromford Canal, which opened in 1794 and ran 14.5 miles from here to the Erewash Canal in Derbyshire...

, having leased it since 1995, where 2 rooms are used as classrooms. The Society offers tours of the Wharf and the Cromford Canal

Cromford Canal

The Cromford Canal ran 14.5 miles from Cromford to the Erewash Canal in Derbyshire, England with a branch to Pinxton. Built by William Jessop with the assistance of Benjamin Outram, its alignment included four tunnels and 14 locks....

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There is also a Nottingham Arkwright Society based in the Industrial Museum in the grounds of Wollaton Park.