In 1811, Lorton peaked in prosperity and population due to high demand for farm products as England recovered from the Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815). Most residents were employed across the six farms, including one attached to the 17th-century New House. These were powered by fast-flowing tributaries of the River Cocker, running the length of the valley. Most houses and cottages started as barns and mills. Church records indicate a post-war depression from 1816 to 1830, with a population decrease of about 50 and smaller numbers of marriages.