 Privileges granted in the 1780s include one that was initially used for an oil mill, and another that included both grist and saw mills.At the mid-19th century, the area was that of the largest non-agricultural employment in the town, and also had several shops.The water-powered industries suffered due to reduced waterflows after the Northampton Reservoir was built in 1901, and most of the buildings were gone by the 1920s.