Report - Tin Brook, Stockport - Nov 2014

[paulpowers]

Top night crawling about under Stockport in Tin Brook, next time lets pick somewhere a bit bigger

Hempshaw Brook.

One notable, and well documented, site on the brook was Hempshaw Brook Brewery. It’s name taken by the location of the brewery to the brook and associated reservoir to its eastern wing. Constructed in 1835, Avery Fletcher, owner and worker, dammed the flow to produce the reservoir for the use in the brewing process. By 1872 the brewery had expanded and built over the reservoir.

Heading further downstream from the brewery, the brook navigated its way through open land, meeting up with Brown House Fold Brook and onto Carr Brook.
Carr Brook was the location of numerous mechanised mills which harnessed the potential power of the brook. The valley of Hempshaw brook is also known as Hopes Carr, taken from a Mr Thomas Hope, it was he who acquired the first mill in the valley, Stockports second silk mill after Park Mill, and went on to create further mills, Middle and Higher mills in the late 1790s

Given the topography of the valley, it is clear why mills were built here. The brook could be manipulated to form reservoirs, the first of which is documented as being 1759 with the formation of Lower Carr Mill and its associated cylindrical sluice gate, the stone built basin which now feeds Tin Brook, Its name taken from the Tin and Iron workers that were once located on the edges of the brook. One notable site being Victoria foundry located in Lower Hillgate.

 

[FreshFingers]

Good stuff! Great little outing.

Something bigger? It's positively massive in there

Vid's anyone?

 

[Nickindroy]

Excellent stuff, with no casualties. Bags of room, as long as you don't want to stand up.

 

[Camera Shy]

On my doorstep and i've still never ventured down. Thumbs

 

[Tom Sherman]

Great pics pp, good to see everyone again :-)

 

[FreshFingers]

You know what CS, I had a think for local bods when the 'invites' went out, sorry about that! There's a little something soon if your free.

 

[Camera Shy]

You know what CS, I had a think for local bods when the 'invites' went out, sorry about that! There's a little something soon if your free.

No prob's a rarely don the waders these days anyway.

 

[paulpowers]

Vid's anyone?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMfF4e81KwQ

go on then

 

[Ojay]

I actually did fall asleep for a moment, long day, but a funny evening, the crawling through the cold water at the outfall later on soon woke me up

 

[Stopford_lad]

Good stuff! Great little outing.

Vid's anyone?

Good to wet the waders again, I'll bang a video on 2mr..Great shots btw Paul

 

[Indecisive Moment]

No page 3 from FF, thumbs down :

 

[Snake Oil]

looks a proper little st00per that does

 

[Will Knot]

Nice pics and report, looks great there chaps

 

[Stopford_lad]

video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ziu3uy5oaI

 

[JMRodwell]

Great pics Paul! Looks like the exact same brick as the huge railway viaduct not far away!

But what a funny shape that tunnel is you're sitting down in. Any idea why it needs to be that shape?