Another culverting expedition from a while ago, mostly on Walsden Water while looking at mills in the area.
This stream runs through Walsden (W on the map below) parallel to the Rochdale Canal up to join the Calder in the middle of Todmorden, X.
Several sections are culverted (red bits), none of them particularly long.
The only other report I can find is from 2009, Report - - Todmorden Tunnels & Culverts...June 09 | UK Draining Forum.
This features a drain in the wall of the canal, and a section under Todmorden, but is mostly culverts further north on the Calder.
These are the ones usually called Kia Ora, Report - - Beyond Kia-Ora - Calder Head Culverts, Portsmouth Mill and Hill Top Colliery (West Yorkshire/Lancashire, Dec, 2020) | Other Sites.
Starting at the bottom and heading north (downstream), the first section emerges by a former cotton mill (Hollins Mill).
Looking back at some stairs.
Then through a congested area with rail viaduct, road, bridges and an overflow coming down from the canal.
I had to walk round the next section where the culvert was being rebuilt following demolition of a chapel which used to straddle it.
Now approaching Todmorden.
Me, standing in the same place with a head torch for about 5 seconds.
Yes, I know drain selfies are supposed to be backlit shots of the heroic ‘explorer’, arms akimbo like a retarded penguin.
But everyone knows culverts are just harmless entertainment for the simple minded.
The next two looking back upstream.
Now an open section.
Looking back, with a big Morrisons on the left where a cotton mill used to stand (Waterside Mill).
I climbed out here and squelched into the supermarket to get lunch.
On through a short open section, then under the canal.
Another open bit in front of Todmorden Town Hall.
Looking back out, and on.
The culvert widens out under the market place before ending in a recent concrete box section.
Outside looking back with the Calder coming down from the right, X on the map.
I also had a look at another culvert further up the Calder which emerges beside Centre Vale Park (top red bit on the map).
The only feature of interest here apart from a flow monitoring camera was a small stream, probably Oak Hill Clough, which joins about half way along in its own little culvert.
But at only 5 ft or so it wasn’t really worth the hassle.
Back at the junction, a final view downstream towards Hebden Bridge.
The pair of rather splendid sluices on the left, which date from before 1850 were for Stansfield corn mill, demolished in the 1950s.
This mill was located about 500 yards away downstream with the mill race running behind the river retaining wall on the left.
While many of the mills on Walsden Water have now gone, old maps show the locations of the culverts largely unchanged for 120+ years.
The remains of weirs and sluices which directed water into mill races, along with areas the shape of former mill ponds, are the only visible evidence the buildings were ever there.
This stream runs through Walsden (W on the map below) parallel to the Rochdale Canal up to join the Calder in the middle of Todmorden, X.
Several sections are culverted (red bits), none of them particularly long.
The only other report I can find is from 2009, Report - - Todmorden Tunnels & Culverts...June 09 | UK Draining Forum.
This features a drain in the wall of the canal, and a section under Todmorden, but is mostly culverts further north on the Calder.
These are the ones usually called Kia Ora, Report - - Beyond Kia-Ora - Calder Head Culverts, Portsmouth Mill and Hill Top Colliery (West Yorkshire/Lancashire, Dec, 2020) | Other Sites.
Starting at the bottom and heading north (downstream), the first section emerges by a former cotton mill (Hollins Mill).
Looking back at some stairs.
Then through a congested area with rail viaduct, road, bridges and an overflow coming down from the canal.
I had to walk round the next section where the culvert was being rebuilt following demolition of a chapel which used to straddle it.
Now approaching Todmorden.
Me, standing in the same place with a head torch for about 5 seconds.
Yes, I know drain selfies are supposed to be backlit shots of the heroic ‘explorer’, arms akimbo like a retarded penguin.
But everyone knows culverts are just harmless entertainment for the simple minded.
The next two looking back upstream.
Now an open section.
Looking back, with a big Morrisons on the left where a cotton mill used to stand (Waterside Mill).
I climbed out here and squelched into the supermarket to get lunch.
On through a short open section, then under the canal.
Another open bit in front of Todmorden Town Hall.
Looking back out, and on.
The culvert widens out under the market place before ending in a recent concrete box section.
Outside looking back with the Calder coming down from the right, X on the map.
I also had a look at another culvert further up the Calder which emerges beside Centre Vale Park (top red bit on the map).
The only feature of interest here apart from a flow monitoring camera was a small stream, probably Oak Hill Clough, which joins about half way along in its own little culvert.
But at only 5 ft or so it wasn’t really worth the hassle.
Back at the junction, a final view downstream towards Hebden Bridge.
The pair of rather splendid sluices on the left, which date from before 1850 were for Stansfield corn mill, demolished in the 1950s.
This mill was located about 500 yards away downstream with the mill race running behind the river retaining wall on the left.
While many of the mills on Walsden Water have now gone, old maps show the locations of the culverts largely unchanged for 120+ years.
The remains of weirs and sluices which directed water into mill races, along with areas the shape of former mill ponds, are the only visible evidence the buildings were ever there.
Last edited:
