for hundreds of years streams from the surrounding hills provided water for corn and fulling mills. todmorden grew to relative prosperity by combining farming with the production of woollen textiles. some yeomen clothiers were able to build fine houses, a few of which still exist today. increasingly, though, the area's industry turned to cotton. the proximity of manchester, as a source of material and trade, was undoubtedly a strong factor. another was that the strong pennine streams and rivers were able to power the machine looms. improvements in textile machinery (by kay, hargreaves and arkwright), along with the development of turnpike roads (1751–1781), helped to develop the new cotton industry and to increase the local population.