Pleasley Vale Mills

The Pleasley Vale Mills are located in the Pleasley Vale, a small hamlet which spans the borders of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, within England. They have quite a disputed history, but they were established by Henry Hollins and some business partners during the 1700s. They are possibly most famously known for the creation and manufacture of the Viyella brand of fabric. The mills originally had harsh conditions, but they were reformed following fires which burnt down the original two mills and caused for them to be rebuilt. Today, the mills operate as a business park. Regarding the hauntings of this location, it's had a few vague reports. These include the famed names of Florence Nightingale and Dick Turpin, but they also include prehistoric spirits and a pair of legs with no torso which walk around the site.

History

The history of Pleasley Vale Mills, also known as Pleasley Vale Business Park, can be traced back to the 17th century, also known as the 1600s. It's believed that, by the year of 1650, the site was home to a water-powered forge which made saws and swords in the narrow valley. I have found slightly contradictory information to this date though as I've found sources say the Vale has been a location for industry since at least 1767. These sources say that by rhis time there were two forges and a corn mill operating on the site. Due to the sources saying 'at least' 1767, it is still possible that the forges may have existed here by the year of 1650; but it's also possible for the sources to have said 17th century when really they mean 1700s.

Regardless of the date that the forges and corn mill were here, they were both powered by the river located on the site. The two forges were run by George Sitwell and they were called Nether and Upper forge. During the year of 1782, businessmen from Nottingham and drapers from Mansfield leased the Vale along with Pleasley Park, and they used the land to build water-powered cotton mills. During the year of 1784, the site was bought by five men, presumably the businessmen and drapers, to transform it into cotton spinning mills. One of these five men was Henry Hollins, and he would be incredibly important and influential to the mills. The three mills on this site were all built between the years of 1784 and 1913, and it was during the year of 1784 that Henry Hollins & Co Ltd began at Pleasley Vale.

It's important to say I have found contradictions regarding the 1782 and 1784 dates. Some sources have said the site was leased during 1782 by Henry and four business partners, but others have said the site was leased from 1784. Due to some sources saying leased, and some saying bought, it wouldn't surprise me if the land was leased during 1782 and then bought during 1784. I've also found information saying that fifteen acres of land was bought from a 'Mr. Thornhill' during the year of 1784. Otherwise, I'm not too sure where the differing dates have come from. The first mill to have been built here, which was a mechanised spinning mill, was Upper Mill. Upper Mill has also been referred to as Mill One in sources due to it having been the first built. I've found more contradictory information regarding this mill as sources have said it was built during one of three years: 1782, 1784, or 1785.

Possible explanation to the 1785 date is that this could have been the year in which the first mill became operational, as said by one source. This source has also said that the first mill, also known as Upper Mill, was built on the site of the previously existing corn mill. The second mill on the site, Lower Mill, was built seven years later during 1792. Also during 1792, the builds for a managers house and a row of ten houses for workers was completed. Lower Mill cost £1,190 and was a much bigger mill than Upper Mill. These mills supplied cotton to the expanding East Midland hosiery industry, and these stone mills were both the first and the most successful cotton producers in the East Midlands.

It was during the year of 1786 that more history was discovered about the local area. This is because, during this year, the archaeologist called Hayman Rooke excavated the grounds and found Roman coins at Stuffyn Wood Farm which belonged to the Pleasley estate. Apparently, evidence has also been discovered of a viking settlement in nearby Mansfield. The mills have also been built atop a stone age cave system where the bones of woolley rhinoceros and mammoth have bee found along with evidence of prehistoric human habitation. These fossils were discovered during the year of 1862, and some more bones found included those of wolves, wild horses, reindeer, and lynx. I have found contradictory information as to when the cave of fossils was discovered. Although some sources say 1862, others say 1962; and this tells me that one date will probably be right and the other wrong. The source claiming 1962 has said they were found during the development of a garage at the back of Pleasley House when a cave was exposed containing the fossils.

During the 19th and 20th centuries, also known as the 1800s and 1900s, the firm running the mills continued to build it's reputation worldwide. The factory at Pleasley Vale became the first establishment in the world to take in raw cloth material at one end of the mill and send out the completed garments, ready for sale, at the other end of the mill. By the year of 1800, the two mills had become a successful business, although they did have a reputation for hard working conditions and low pay. The mills also employed hundreds of children and established a workhouse for child labour as the remoteness of the area meant it was difficult to recruit. As for why the mills were established in a remote area, this was for three reasons; the water supply from the river, the closeness to the highways, and the trees in the valley maintained the required humidity levels.

The mills were water powered until the year of 1803 when it became powered by steam. This steam power was later used to generate electricity for the mills. It's during the year of 1828 that we encounter another piece of information which contradicts the information previously discussed in this article. It's said that, during the year of 1828, the two cotton mills, their dams, and fifteen acres of land were bought outright by the Hollins Company for £7,600 when the lease expired. This is highly contradictory to other information found as it says that the fifteen acres was bought here, plus it says the lease expired here. So, I will say here what I tend to say in articles when the information becomes muddied like this: I am not a historian and am simply recording what I've found to be discussed amongst sources. So, if anyone reading this has access to the correct and accurate information, then please do email me and I will update the article accordingly. Due to the detail said around the 1828 date, I wouldn't be surprised if this is when the lease expired and the land was bought; but that creates confusion as to where the 1782 lease date and 1784 buy dates have come from.

During the year of 1839, the Hollins Company installed a 'gas apparatus' to produce their own gas light for the mills. This new addition allowed for night shifts to be worked at the mills. On the 25th of December 1840, Upper Mill burnt down. This fire occured after it had just been refitted with new machinery and it was vastly under-insured. This resulted in a huge loss for the company along with a loss of three-hundred local jobs. The cause of this fire was never discovered, but it was reported that Henry Hollins had recieved an anonymous letter stating that 'if he didn't take care, the other mill would be burnt and that it would be useless to rebuild the one destroyed as the same fate would befall it'. Lower Mill did burn down too following this, but there are contradictory years as to when this occured. Some sources have said it burnt down during the year of 1844, and others have said the Lower Mill burnt down during the late September of 1846.

It's said that this second fire occured after Upper Mill had been rebuilt as Mill One and had resumed full production. Apparently, Mill One was built during 1844; and so this would place the 1844 date as possibly correct, but again, I'm not sure. It's possible that the mill could have been built during 1844, resumed full production, and then the fire could have occured during 1846. I don't know, so please do let me know the correct information here. It's said the cause of both fires was never established, although many said it was due to worker unrest and poor conditions; therefore arson was assumed. Apparently, an anonymous Nottingham artist painted a graphic picture of the second fire, and it's been speculated that they were tipped off and so were the equivilant of an at-the-scene photographer today.

As both Upper Mill and Lower Mill were so critical to the local economy, they were both quickly rebuilt after their fires had occured. It seems that once Lower Mill was rebuilt during 1847, it went by the name of Mill Three. So, during this time, Upper Mill existed as Mill One and Lower Mill existed as Mill Three. The nearby Pleasley Colliery was then first mined during the year of 1872, and the ground here was first broken by Florence Nightingale. This was because her family lived on the site of the Colliery. It was during the year of 1890 that James and Robert Sissons, both of whom worked for William Hollins & Co, researched and developed the 'viyella' branded fabric. This fabric was a textile which was a mixture of 55% merino wool and 45% cotton, and so it had the combined qualities of softness and durability.

It was also during the year of 1890 that Henry Hollins is said to have bought a new mill located around twenty miles away, close to Matlock, in the valley running from Cromford to Grange Mill on the 'Via Gellia Road'. This new mill doubled the output of the company, and the rock face at the Pleasley Vale mill site is still known as 'Little Matlock'. A few years after this, during the year of 1894, the viyella brand name was first registered as a trademark. This was the first ever branded fabric in the world, and during 1907 the fabric was also registered in the United States. This trademark covered both the textile and all items of clothing which were produced from it. Originally, it was used to manufacture men's shirts and nightshirts; but it eventually became associated with high quality women's wear. Today, the fabric has developed to be a blend of 80% cotton and 20% merino wool.

I have found that, shortly after the first fire, Henry Hollins is said to have retired and passed management of the business to his twenty-five year old son; William. So, I'm unsure if it was Henry Hollins, or his son, who would have bought the new mill during 1890 if Henry had retired shortly after the 1840s. Due to the age Henry would have been by this point, I'd assume this purchase would have been made by his son. William's benevolence and skilled leadership introduced a complete change for the better in both the working conditions and treatment of employees.

It's said William relaunched the business with steam-powered machines and in a short amount of time the firm became a major producer of textiles. This indicates William did take over shortly after the first fire as it's said steam driven machinery was introduced after the mill was rebuilt. It's also said that it's this mill which later developed the Viyella cloth. William is also said to have built several houses, the local school, a mechanics institute, a library, baths, and a recreation room for the 500 employees and their families. It's said he is also the one who supplied gas lighting for the village and local colliery. Henry Ernest Hollins, the nephew of William Hollins, later continued the family business; but I don't know which year he took over in.

It was during the year of 1913 that Mill Two was built. Mill Two was designed for wool, and Mill Three was designed for cotton. I don't know why the order of the mills being built was Mill One, Mill Three, and then Mill Two; but again, I'm just reporting what I've found sources to say about this location and so please do keep in mind that information here may be incorrect. During World War One, which occured between the years of 1914 and 1918, the rebuilt Upper Mill and Lower Mill, also known as Mill One and Mill Three, were used to make munitions. During the year of 1941, within the events of World War Two, part of the mill was cleared out to make room for making anti-tank guns. It's said the location also won large contracts from the government to provide cloth during the war.

During the year of 1960, the firm running the mills was awarded with the Queen's Royal Warrant. It was a year later, during 1961, that the first worker's houses were demolished and this was followed by the school, the baths, and the mechanics institute. During 1967, a series of mergers occured which led to the firm becoming 'Coats Viyella', which is a FTSE 30 listed company. Twenty years after this, during 1987, the Pleasley Vale mills closed due to foreign competition. This closure resulted in 220 job losses. The condition of the mill buildings and Vale House went into sharp decline from this point, and they were later bought by the Bolsover District Council during 1992 for £1.

The site has been declared a conservation area by Bolsover District Council, and they started to let the buildings to several businesses. This led to the site becoming the business park seen today as the buildings have since been refurbished from the derelict state they were once in. 'Piece Regen' were appointed by Bolsover District Council to assist them with the transformation of the Pleasley Vale Mills Complex, but I'm not sure when this was. It may have been during the initial transformation to make the mills habitable for businesses around the 1990s, or it may have been to further develop and improve the site closer to 2025.

During the October of 2023, storm Babet caused flooding to the site which effected the ground floor of Mill One. Then, on the 13th of October 2025, the BBC reported that businesses had been asked to leave Mill One due to structural safety concerns. In their article, they have quoted the Council Leader, Councillor Jane Yates, as having said: “This is a very upsetting situation but our absolute priority is the safety of the businesses in the Mill. We have been advised to immediately close, empty and secure the building for safety reasons... We understand this is a huge upheaval for the businesses involved and we will do absolutely everything in our power to help them, but we must put safety first.”

On the 20th of October, the Derby Telegraph reported that some businesses could return to the mills despite the safety concerns. They have quoted Councillor Donna Hales, the deputy leader of Bolsover District Council, as having said: "The reopening of parts of the mill is encouraging but we must remain cautious with the remaining units until we have either made them safe or carried out more checks... This work is essential to the health and safety of our tenants. We understand this process has been deeply unsettling for businesses but we are working hard to get everyone back to work as soon as possible. We anticipate every business will be back in the business park in the future.”

There are 198 units in the park spread across the three mills and outlying buildings, including the Dye House, Stable Block, and Mill Three courtyard. The Viyella trade name is still going strong today, and William Hollins & Company still makes clothes under this brand. The Hucknall, which is a Nottingham based company, is a subsidiary of Coats Viyella. The Vale itself is home to country houses, churches, and Roman villas which are in varying states of repair. The Pleasley Vale Mill, also known as the William Hollins Mill, is a textile mill which is located to the north east of Pleasley Village.

Hauntings

The caves, along with the harsh working conditions of the mills, have led to the Pleasley Vale Mills gaining a reputation for being haunted. The most aggressive spirit here is said to be a spirit referred to as 'the supervisor'. This is said to be a male supervisor who likes to make men feel intimidated, especially in and around the dye room. It has been said that the supervisor has been mistaken for a real person y several people who only realise he's a spirit when he vanishes. It's said that many mediums have picked up that the supervisor committed murder and rape during his life here. One of these murder victims is said to be a young lady who haunts Mill One, and shows herself on the top floor in that building. Also on the top floor of Mill One, people have been said to burst into tears for no reason. In the same location, they're also said to feel nauseous, depressed, and extremely disorientated.

A woman in black has been seen on the Pleasley Vale Mills site, and the figure of a man has been seen in the car park. A voice has been heard in the ladies toilet, and it apparently has said 'hello' three times. The spirit of Dick Turpin has been said to haunt the adjacent road, and Florence Nightingale has also allegedly been seen at the mills. It's been speculated that children who died in the mills due to the working conditions were buried in the woods, and so it's been said that children's voices can sometimes be heard in the woods. Due to the found fossils, it's been said that inhabitants from the prehistoric caves have also been seen. A man has reportedly been seen walking from the old Dye House to Mill Two, and various sounds such as machinery, cries, and grunts have been heard. Apparently, a pair of legs has been seen walking around without a torso.

Summary Of Hauntings

1. The Supervisor, male, aggressive: The Dye Room

2. A young lady: Mill One, top floor

3. Nauseous feeling: Mill One, top floor

4. Depressed feeling: Mill One, top floor

5. Disorientated feeling: Mill One, top floor

6. A woman in black

7. A man: car park

8. A voice, says hello: ladies toilet

9. Dick Turpin: adjacent road

10. Florence Nightingale

11. Children's voices: woods opposite

12. Prehistoric cave inhabitants

13. A man: walks from Old Dye House to Mill 2

14. Crying sounds

15. Machinery sounds

16. Grunts

17. A pair of legs, no torso, walks around

My Thoughts

I really don't believe this place will be all that active, but I do think it will be legitimately haunted. I highly doubt the claims of Dick Turpin and Florence Nightingale to be haunting here, but others such as a spirit connected to the work of the mills are highly believable to be real. The haunting I hpfind to be particularly of interest is the report of prehistoric spirits. It's commonly asked that, if spirits are real, why we don't see cavemen spirits? So, this location acts as an interesting case study to say there have been reports of cavemen spirits. I also feel that the site being a business park, not a tourist attraction, is a huge bonus when it comes to discussing it's haunted reputation. Quite often, when it comes to the old homes or castles, I make a point of saying that the hauntjngs could be manufactured to bring in tourists; however, I can't make that claim here. So, I feel the location will be haunted, but I'm aware that TV investigators have visited and so I'm still skeptical of the bolder claims.

Thank You!

Thank you for reading this article! I know not a great deal was said on the hauntings here, but I will add it as a 'location of interest' due to the rare report of prehistoric spirits. The next article will hopefully be published on Monday the 5th of January and will be a yearly database review. The following article will be published on Friday the 9th of January and will document a paranormal experience.

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