History
In 1815 Thomas Ellison set up Wren Nest Mill not far from here, at the side of Glossop Brook, and in 1827 it became the property of his nephew Francis James Sumner.
Francis Sumner greatly expanded the business, installing a steam engine and adding weaving to the mills in addition to cotton spinning. By 1836 there were 14,000 spindles and 380 looms working at Wren Nest Mill.
The rate of expansion was such that by the time of Francis Sumner's death in 1884, at the age of 76, there were over 1,300 people employed at the mill, with 120,000 spindles and 2,700 looms.
The mill continued to expand in the early 20th century, with additions including a brick-built chimney in 1919.
The decline of cotton spinning in the mid-20th century resulted in the closure of the mills in 1957. Parts of the complex were subsequently taken over by small scale industrial users, but many buildings were not used, and these deteriorated to the extent that large parts were demolished. This included, in 1984, the section of the mill which later became the site of a supermarket car park.
In May 1996 the eastern half of the main mill building was destroyed in a fire. Eleven years later, in 2007, the remaining mill building, which had been newly renovated as flats, also caught fire.
After extensive refurbishment, the remaining mill building is once again home to flats and shops. Grade II listed, it lies within Wren Nest Mill Conservation Area.
The cache
You're looking for a camo'd 30ml tube. You'll need to bring your own pen, as there isn't one in the cache, and you do need to sign the log to claim the find.
