Higher Mill was built in 1789 by
members of the Turner family; as a Woollen Fulling Mill. In 1820 William
Turner took over the mill and made a series of great changes to the
production methods used. The Mill was but one of four owned by
Turner(Higher,Middle,Tanpits and Bridge End.)
In 1849 part of the Mill was demolished to enable the building of the
Bury-Accrington Railway line. This brought a dual benefit, by providing
capital for further investments and the Mill's own Railway siding. The
profits from this deal also paid for the installation of a new larger Water
Wheel and two further Fulling stocks.
Following Turners death in 1852,the Mills closed resulting in hundreds of
employees leaving the village, it took over a century for the villages
population level to return to that of 1852.Higher Mill was auctioned, as
Turner's will had stated due to him having no male heir, but 11 daughters!)
The Mill was then purchased by the Whittaker family, who ran it until its
commercial closure in 1967,when Rossal and Edith Whitaker retired. Since
1975 the Museum has been run by Lancashire County Museum Service
Helmshore Mill.
