THE MILL`S MULTIMILLION VIEWING FIGURES TO PROVIDE A BOOST FOR QUARRY BANK MILL

Will The Mill`s multimillion viewing figures bring boost for Quarry Bank Mill?

Quarry Bank Mill in Styal, Cheshire, is a National Trust attraction which has long been a major draw for visitors from around the North West. But now, thanks to the Channel 4 drama series The Mill, which began on Sunday and is shot on location at the historic Industrial Revolution gem, the potential for an explosion in visitors from across the UK and abroad has increased immensely, writes Eric Jackson.

Such hopes were given a boost when the viewing figures of almost three million for the show, starring Kerrie Hayes, Kevin McNally and Matthew McNulty, were revealed to be twice as high as usual for the Sunday night slot and the largest for a Channel 4 drama in three years.

If those figures are translated into visitors to the attraction itself, then there really will be trouble at t`mill to cater for them all. Such a change in fortunes affected the nearby Lyme Hall, following the release of the TV adaptation of Pride & Prejudice, as the famous Colin Firth scene, where he emerged, in classic wet shirt style from the lake as the hunky Mr Darcy, was shot there.

Rightly described as `one of Britain`s greatest industrial heritage sites, showing how a complete industrial community lived, Quarry Bank bristles with the atmosphere of the Industrial Revolution. The cotton mill is powered by Europe`s most powerful working waterwheel and the clatter of machinery and hiss of steam engines make an astonishing noise.

There are guided tours of the Apprentice House, which housed the pauper children who worked in the mill.

Outside there is a stunning garden, the Greg family`s picturesque valley retreat adjoining the mill, while beyond lies beautiful Styal Woods with its miles of walks along the river.

Quarry Bank Mill, built in 1784 by Samuel Greg on the banks of the River Bollin, produced cotton products for nearly 200 years. Greg was armed with business experience gained working for his merchant uncles in Manchester and the generous inheritance they had left him.

He therefore seized the opportunity to take advantage of the desperate need for the expansion and industrialisation of the cotton industry, which was rapidly expanding.

During the 1820s the Mill was doing so well that Samuel was able to expand not only Quarry Bank Mill but was able to construct five other cotton spinning and weaving mills, employing more than 2,000 people, including his four sons who joined him in the family business.

By 1860 Quarry Bank Mill had become the headquarters of one of the largest cotton manufacturing businesses in Britain