|The River Sheaf has provided a source of power for several manufacturing processes for over a thousand years. The first water powered mills were probably used for grinding corn but it was soon discovered that the water wheels could be used to drive different kinds of machinery.
Many of the mills were used to make knives, scissors, shears, scythes and other cutting tools. Evidence of the mills can be found both in historical records and on the ground as visible remains.
There were 18 water powered mills in Abbeydale. The remains of some of them can still be seen by walking along the course of the River Sheaf. Unfortunately some of the sites have been developed and in these cases, little can now be seen of what the water mills were like.