'Cottoning on' to workers' housing : a historical archaeology of industrial accommodation in the Derwent Valley
This PhD investigates cotton workersâ housing at four industrial settlements within the Derwent Valley, Derbyshire. These sites at Cromford, Belper, Milford and Darley Abbey are recognised as key communities within the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Derwent Valley Mills. Whilst large amounts of scholarly effort has been dedicated to the study of these sites the primary focus has been on the mill complexes and their industrialist owners, Arkwright, Strutt and the Evans. This study uses a buildings-led approach to examine three major themes. Firstly, the design and construction of workers housing, particularly in light of the interaction between occupant and patron agendas. Secondly, the study offers a revaluation of the typological approach taken to workersâ housing, linking exterior elevation with interior plan form. Thirdly, this thesis considers the living standards of occupants, particularly how the experience of domestic space changed in the later decades of the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Overall this approach has allowed a reconsideration of workersâ housing in this unique and highly diverse industrial landscape.
Lilley, Suzanne
'Cottoning on' to workers' housing : a historical archaeology of industrial accommodation in the Derwent Valley. This PhD investigates cotton workersâ housing at four industrial settlements within the Derwent Valley, Derbyshire. These sites at Cromford, Belper, Milford and Darley Abbey are recognised as key communities within the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Derwent Valley Mills. Whilst large amounts of scholarly effort has been dedicated to the study of these sites the primary focus has been on the mill complexes and their industrialist owners, Arkwright, Strutt and the Evans. This study uses a buildings-led approach to examine three major themes. Firstly, the design and construction of workers housing, particularly in light of the interaction between occupant and patron agendas. Secondly, the study offers a revaluation of the typological approach taken to workersâ housing, linking exterior elevation with interior plan form. Thirdly, this thesis considers the living standards of occupants, particularly how the experience of domestic space changed in the later decades of the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Overall this approach has allowed a reconsideration of workersâ housing in this unique and highly diverse industrial landscape.
worker housing historical archaeology industrial accommodation valley phd investigate cotton worker housing industrial settlement within valley derbyshire site abbey recognise key community within unesco world heritage_site valley whilst large_amount scholarly effort dedicate study sit primary_focus mill complex industrialist owner evans study use buildings led examine three_major theme firstly design_construction worker housing particularly light interaction occupant patron agenda secondly study offer revaluation typological take worker housing link exterior elevation interior plan form thirdly considers live standard occupant particularly experience domestic_space change overall allow reconsideration worker housing unique highly diverse industrial landscape