Free learning resources from arts, cultural and heritage organisations.

Introduction to Thwaite Watermill

Thwaite Watermill Museum is a unique heritage attraction in the south of Leeds. Hidden on a tranquil island surrounded by the River Aire and the Aire and Calder Navigation, the site houses one of the last examples of a working water-powered mill in Britain. It opened to the public in 1990, but has history dating back as far as 1641, when King Charles I was on the throne!

During its long working life the mill site served a variety of industrial purposes, from fulling (a textiles process) to producing putty for sealing window frames, and provided a home for generations of families. As such, it offers a unique lens through which to view many aspects of local social and industrial history.