The Old Mill - Once called Lewsey's Mill

This mill alongside Robin's Brook must have had a varied existence. In the 1841 census it was called 'Lewsey's Mill' and occupied by James Lewsey and his wife both then aged 60 and a 6-year-old grand-daughter also called Susan*. The building shown here dates from about that time (c 1845) although the deeds go back to 1750. Cannon-ball shaped stones have been found which may have been used as part of a process preparing fullers earth (this was used with water to remove the oils and dirt from wool as part of the woollen finishing process called fulling). The 1876 OS map labels the building a brewery but there were corn bins in the attic and from 1900 - 1913 (at least) the mill was used to process teazels which were used in the woollen industry to give the cloth a soft 'nap'. There was a mill stream and probably a mill pool but these were filled in in 1950 when the building was converted into a private house by Mr C T Taylor. He once met at an 91 year old man who remembered helping at the mill as a youngster and said that when there was not enough water a steam engine in an outbuilding supplied the power.
I took the black and white photos on 22nd August 1989. The mill was badly damaged by fire on 1st June 1995. I took the other colour photos on 23rd February 2009. The remains have since been demolished.

* With thanks to Deborah Warren whose 4 x great-grandfather was James Lewsey