Watermill And Attached Outhouse

This is a watermill with an attached outhouse, dating from the 17th century, with significant additions around 1760 and the 19th century. The mill is constructed of coursed ironstone rubble with red brick, and has a pantile roof with decorative eaves. It is three storeys high with a four-bay front that is irregular, and a single-storey outhouse at right angles, dividing the first two bays from the remaining bays. Two bays dating from the mid-19th century feature a large opening with a three-centred head, housing a waterwheel and millrace. Above are two segmental-headed openings, one a sliding sash window with glazing bars, and the other with wooden shutters. Further shuttered openings are above, and a sliding sash window is set above the outhouse roof. A 17th-century rubble wall extends to the first floor on the right of the outhouse, incorporating a large doorway with a wooden lintel and plank stable doors; this is superseded by red brick above. A loading platform in front of the doorway contains several re-used millstones. The mill’s interior machinery is largely intact and functional, representing a design from around 1760, combining timber and iron. The ground floor contains the main waterwheel, with an oak axle, a cast iron rim (renewed in 1967), an iron hub, and wooden and iron buckets; both valves are in working order. The pit wheel, driven by the axle of the waterwheel, engages a bevel gear on a vertical shaft. A spur wheel, with wooden spurs and an iron rim and cogs, drives the stone nuts with wooden teeth. The grinding floor above has two sets of grinding stones: French Burr stones for flour on the left, and Derbyshire Greystone for animal feed on the right. Grain from the hoppers on the top floor is accessed by a shoe vibrating via a damsel, and the meal descends to the ground floor via a shute. A kibbling mill and oat roller are also located on the first floor. The top floor is used for drying and storing corn, with pulleys remaining intact.