Fitz Mill on the bend of the river Derwent. Bradbury notes that it was a textile mill from the early 1800s, it ceased towards the late 19^th century and was demolished about 1980. Note across the Derwent is a Weir for the mill race to Fitz Mill and there are photos showing the construction of a concrete bell shape sluice to control the height of the Derwent that powered Fitz Mill, it included a salmon leap to facilitate the migration of salmon upstream – the Derwent was a good salmon river.  The tail race of Fitz Mill leaves to the left with a footbridge over it. In 2023, earlier floods have washed a surface on the right bank and exposed the old refuse disposal tip of Cockermouth, be careful if you visit this area behind the cricket ground.

Opposite Fitz Mill Pump House is shown; this pumped drinking water from a borehole up to a holding reservoir on Tallentire Hill above Bridekirk and Tallentire, then gravity fed the water to Maryport. 

Beside the Pump House was Low Gote Mill which comprised two mills. During the last 300 years the two mills have variously been corn, various textiles or one of each. The Harris linen firm occupied one mill from about 1820 until 1847. [Bradbury] In 1834 the Harris family built what was known as Harris Mill but is now known as Derwent Mill (now converted to apartments). The Harris family extended their new Harris Mill in 1847 and moved out of Low Gote Mill. Low Gote Mill had originally two mill buildings but the lower one was demolished and the upper was converted into apartments which have the preserved water wheel on display.

On the other side of the Goat Brow Road is High Goat Mill and the building remains at the entrance to Lawsons Haulage yard. To the right of the current entrance to Lawsons Haulage is the house dated 1802 but the mill is much earlier. There is a reference to the mill in 1786 [Bradbury p173].  The mill was normally a corn mill but at other times it was used as a textile mill, run by the Harkness family, and closed in 1969. There is a photo of a Harkness lorry outside this mill. The High Gote Mill was often known as the Harkness Mill because of the connection with the Harkness family. The Harkness family were millers of flour and grain, roasters of barley for brewing and suppliers of feeding stuff for cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry. This mill spanned the mill race and went under the main road.

On this map notice Blackfriars Bridge at the end of Spital Ing Lane. See Bradbury p174. Do you know why the lane is called Spital Ing Lane, or why the bridge was named Blackfriars Bridge, or the reason St Leonard’s Lane was so named?