Riverside Mill To South Of Esholt Hall

Riverside Mill, located to the south of Esholt Hall, is a significant structure with historical ties to Esholt Priory, likely serving as a fulling mill before the hall was constructed. Built in 1706-1707, the mill was redesigned as a single-storey L-shaped building against the bank, featuring a wing supported by two low arches over the goit. The architectural details of the doors and windows suggest that the mill was repurposed as a decorative feature within the park. The eastern block, which has three rooms and a fireplace, likely functioned as a summer house or gazebo, while the south-west wing, currently filled with rubble, may have served as a bath house.

The mill is constructed from coursed gritstone with rusticated ashlar quoins, similar to those found on the hall. The eastern range, or summer house, consists of three bays with a central doorway framed by a massive rusticated surround and a large tripled keystone above the lintel. The flanking bays feature large circular openings with raised ashlar surrounds and four keystones. The west wall of the south-west wing also has similar openings over the goit. The roof of the summer house is made of flat stone slabs, creating a terrace. Inside, the three rooms are barrel vaulted, with one room containing a plain but heavy chimneypiece. The floors are finished with stone paving and cobbles. This former mill is an important remnant of an early garden building, showcasing the adaptation of the original mill structure on the site.