The Parish Council has funded the installation of an historic sluice gate in the grounds of St Edwards Church.
Clifford has a long history of using water to power industry. During the early 19th century, the old corn mills along Old Mill Lane were developed into flax mills by the Grimston Brothers. These mills produced:
- Patent yarn.
- Shoe thread.
- Flax-based textile products.
At their peak, the mills employed more than 300 people. Water from Bramham Beck was essential to the operation of the mills.
For more information see the article Waterwheels, John Smeaton and Clifford (PDF) by Alan Pennington published by the Clifford Local History Group in 2012
It contains information about the old waterwheel system and identifies several features, including:
- A millpond.
- A sluice gate controlling the flow of water.
- A pentrough (a wooden or constructed channel carrying water to the wheel).
- The waterwheel itself.
- A tailrace carrying water back into the beck.
The sluice gate was used to regulate the flow of water into the mill machinery.