D G C Em D They’re asleep in the valley, they’ll awake with the sun Am C D G To tend forest and farmland, where the Goyt river runs F C F C Little thought for the future, just life’s daily grind F C Am D As history drifts by and the seasons unwind ’Til came Samuel Oldknow with a vision, a plan And with Arkwright’s aid he built a mill great and grand The Goyt was diverted, water wheels looms did drive So that Mellor and Marple could prosper and thrive Chorus : D G C Em D So please don’t miss Marple, please stop and explore Am C D G We’ve heritage, views and a vision once more The women, the work-force, cream muslin now weaved Man’s labour discarded like red autumn leaves Though money was short Oldknow didn’t shirk The canal he proposed would provide men with work Navigators built tunnels, stone bridges, the cut And the Goyt was traversed on a tall aqueduct From Ashton and Bugsworth the canal had advanced But there were no locks at Marple due to lack of finance When Arkwright’s deep pockets rescued Oldknow’s scheme Efficient transport of goods was no longer a dream A church, turnpike roads, weaver’s houses to let But as Marple bloomed, Sam fell deeper in debt Now the people of Marple can look back and appraise The zeal of Sam Oldknow and his ‘enlightened’ ways Was his vision unclouded, was this mill employer A benevolent despot, a poor entrepreneur? Since financial downturn swept away Sam’s success The Goyt has flowed onward and seen Marple progress While history’s seen mills burn and chimneys crash down They’re no longer asleep in this dormitory town