Flowing from the rugged Skiddaw massif and winding its way through Caldbeck, Dalston, and Cummersdale before joining the River Eden in Carlisle, the River Caldew has long been a lifeline for Cumbria’s industrial evolution.
Photo - Holme Head weir, Cummersdale, Carlisle.
In the late 18th century, as the Industrial Revolution surged forward, the River Caldew became a vital source of water power for a growing number of mills. By the mid-1800s, Carlisle and its surrounding villages had risen to become the fourth most important textile-producing region in Britain—thanks largely to the Caldew.
The city’s first textile factory opened in 1724, but it was the relaxation of cotton laws in 1774 that the industry really took off. Mills sprang up along the riverbanks, harnessing the Caldew’s energy to spin, weave, and print textiles that would be shipped across the globe.
Cumbria also played a key role in the bobbin industry, essential to the cotton trade. At its peak, the Lake District boasted around 120 water-powered bobbin mills, producing nearly half of the world’s supply. These mills were a testament to the region’s ingenuity and its deep connection to the textile boom.
One of the last remaining links to this rich industrial past is Stead McAlpin, a textile printing and dyeing company that moved into the Cummersdale print works in 1835. Now part of the John Lewis Partnership, the company continues to operate from its historic site, preserving the legacy of the Caldew’s industrial might.
Near Dalston, the site of Low Mill—once a corn mill powered by a mill-race from the Caldew—tells another story. Before reaching Low Mill, the water also powered the Low Green Cotton Mill, which operated until 1884. Today, the site is home to the Nestlé factory, built in 1962, marking the transition from water-driven industry to modern manufacturing.
The Caldew’s journey through Cumbria is marked by diverse land use—from upland sheep farming in its headwaters to dairy and beef farming in its lower reaches. As it flows through Carlisle, the river becomes distinctly urban, reflecting the city’s industrial transformation.
Mining has also left its mark, with remnants visible in the Mosedale valley near Carrock Fell (arsenic and tungsten) and near High Pike (lead). The heather-covered slopes of Knott and Great Calva were once managed for grouse through rotational burning.
