Abbey Mill
The monks of Coggeshall Abbey had a watermill on this site from at least the 12th century but the present building, timber framed and weather-boarded, dates from 1760 and was probably built for fulling cloth. From 1820 it was re-purposed as a silk-throwing mill for John Hall and this accounts for its unusual length. Many of the windows date from the silk-mill period, but in 1839 the silk business was transferred to the Gravel Factory in West Street, Coggeshall.
The mill was then bought by the Appleford family, converted to corn-grinding and adapted for steam in 1857 - hence the tall chimney. It remained in commercial use by the Applefords grinding cattle-feed until 1960. It has a breast-shot wheel 3.84 m in diameter with iron paddles and four pairs of French burr stones.
Restored by its then owner Frank Bonner in 1954 and again by its subsequent owner Roy Ward, it remains in working order and produces flour four now and again. It is now the only working mill on the River Blackwater - formerly there were at least twenty.
The mill is occasionally open to the public but it can be seen to advantage from the public footpath through the abbey.
Date: about 1910
Ref: 04/12
The monks of Coggeshall Abbey had a watermill on this site from at least the 12th century but the present building, timber framed and weather-boarded, dates from 1760 and was probably built for fulling cloth. From 1820 it was re-purposed as a silk-throwing mill for John Hall and this accounts for its unusual length. Many of the windows date from the silk-mill period, but in 1839 the silk business was transferred to the Gravel Factory in West Street, Coggeshall.
The mill was then bought by the Appleford family, converted to corn-grinding and adapted for steam in 1857 - hence the tall chimney. It remained in commercial use by the Applefords grinding cattle-feed until 1960. It has a breast-shot wheel 3.84 m in diameter with iron paddles and four pairs of French burr stones.
Restored by its then owner Frank Bonner in 1954 and again by its subsequent owner Roy Ward, it remains in working order and produces flour four now and again. It is now the only working mill on the River Blackwater - formerly there were at least twenty.
The mill is occasionally open to the public but it can be seen to advantage from the public footpath through the abbey.
Date: about 1910
Ref: 04/12
Also in: Bridge Street
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