Derby Silk Mill

Derby Silk Mill, built by John and Thomas Lombe in 1721, is widely described as the first successful mechanized factory in the world, as it used water-powered machinery on a scale not seen before. The building housed Italian-style silk throwing machines powered by the River Derwent, and is often cited as a precursor to the factories of the later Industrial Revolution.

The Silk Mill building currently houses the Museum of Making, operated by the Derby Museums Trust, which opened to the public after extensive renovation in 2021. Exhibits focus on Derby's manufacturing heritage, including the Rolls-Royce aero engine collection and 30,000 objects from the city's industrial history.

John Lombe and his half-brother Thomas Lombe built the Derby Silk Mill to mechanize silk throwing, using machinery that was reportedly based on designs John had smuggled out of Italy. Thomas Lombe obtained a 14-year patent on the silk throwing process, and their mill employed hundreds of workers in a single centralized building.

The Derwent Valley Mills, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001, begins at the Silk Mill and extends south along the River Derwent to include Richard Arkwright's mills at Cromford. The Silk Mill is considered the southern gateway of the site, which collectively represents the birthplace of the modern factory system.