The water course which creates the island, dates back to the 1100’s. Known as a mill race it was originally built to divert water from the Don to drive the waterwheel for the town’s corn mill. The original stone supports for the waterwheel can still be viewed in the mill race near to Kelham Island Museum which lies in the heart of the development. Sitting alongside Kelham Riverside a 93ft chimney house looks out high above Sheffield. This is a poignant reminder of the rolling mills heritage of the area and was once home to two Indian elephants called Sarah and Lizzie who were used as a fork-lift trucks in the mills.