Pride of place for historic document as Nidderdale tourist attraction celebrates its silver anniversary

AS children they revelled in the delights of an idyllic lifestyle at an iconic Nidderdale water mill – rafting, canoeing and playing cricket and football.

Now more than 25 years later members of the Evans family have revisited their former home to join in the silver anniversary celebrations of the Darley Mill Centre – a well-known tourist attraction.

Pride of place has been given over to the historic deeds belonging to Stephen Evans following his father Bob’s death five years ago.

Drawn up in 1777, “in the seventeenth year of the reign of King George III”, the legal document was kept by Darley Mill’s previous owner, Robert Evans, when he sold it to Ponden Mill in 1984, who turned it into one of the region’s first factory outlets.

The document is dated May 13, 1777, and is a contract between Gilbert Bake, a gentleman of Dacre with Bewerley and Henry Clint of Menwith with Darley, a miller. The sum involved was 9 and nine shillings.

Stephen’s brother, Phil, contacted the mill’s new owner, Harrogate businessman, Ross Leventhal, after hearing about the event on a radio station.

As well as scores of photos from their time living in the mill, which now boasts a fully restored 27ft diameter working water wheel, one of the family’s treasured possessions is the deeds.

Phil Evans, 37, of Skipton, said: “We still call the mill our family home. As a child it was a fantastic place to grow up in. We were really sorry to leave it. I’m not sure how we came to have the deeds – we just did.

“As well as it being our home, my father, a scrap merchant, ran a tool hire business from it. We used to have a World War Two Howitzer in front of the building.

“I’ve been back to the mill a number of times over the years, but never into the back offices which is where we lived.

“Bob and my mother Mavis bought the mill in 1976, it was a garden centre then and they ran it as a smallholding with cattle.

“There was lots of room and it was like growing up in a big adventure playground. My brother taught himself to drive on the back fields.”

He was unable to attend the 25th celebrations but both his sister Katie and brother Stephen were.

Stephen Evans, a 43-year-old heating engineer, of Crosshills, Keighley, added: “The deeds are something that reminds me of our childhood.

“I was going to frame them and put them above the stairs at home but I have lent them to the centre for their anniversary.’’

Katie Evans, a 40-year-old headteacher, said: “It was a wonderful childhood – we used to have lots of animals including pet lambs which I fed with a bottle and a huge vegetable plot. I haven’t visited the place for at least 10 years or so.’’

Mr Leventhal, who bought the mill in January 2009, said: “The deeds are a wonderful piece of the mill’s rich history. It dates back to the 14th century and this beautifully written document is the oldest item we now have.

“It’s incredible to think it was drawn up 233 years ago, and is still in excellent condition. We are incredibly grateful to the Evans family.

“Twenty-five years in the retail business is a milestone well worth celebrating. I was associated with the Darley Mill Centre from its very earliest days and when it came on the market in late 2008 I jumped at the chance to buy it.

“We invested a significant amount in the building – including restoring the magnificent water wheel, which is one of the largest working examples in Yorkshire.’’