The Old Mill

The Old Mill is a granary that later became a mill for animal feed and was being used as a store at the time of inspection in November 2002. It dates from the mid to late 18th century and has 20th-century additions. The structure is timber-framed and weatherboarded, standing on a rebuilt brick base, with a corrugated asbestos roof and a brick chimney. It is oriented east to west on the west bank of the river.

The building has two storeys with a loft, featuring a loft door on the west gable. The 20th-century additions to the east and south are not of particular interest.

Inside, the timber frame is made of Baltic pine and retains its primary bracing. A massive east-west chamfered spine beam supports the first floor and is complemented by large oak hanging knees, both ends of which have finely worked stops. Incised assembly marks can be seen on the spine beam at the east end on the north face and on the east gable construction in the roof. There is a possible Baltic pine merchant's identification mark on the tie-beam at first floor level. The roof has single purlins on each side, supported by brackets on the rafters, which are pegged at the apex. The collars have been cut away, and there is a rudimentary bolted scarf joint in the wall plate. Re-used oak timbers are present throughout, especially in the roof. The east gable was rebuilt in brick for the 20th-century extension, and there have been significant alterations to the south wall where a 20th-century shed extends, but the main framing remains intact.

Historically, the building is depicted in a watercolour of East Bridge dated around 1775, where it appears to have been thatched. It is also shown as part of a 'Farm Yard' on Sparrow's Map of Colchester from 1767. The interior was formerly weatherboarded but this was removed in the mid-20th century when the framing was infilled with brick and blockwork.

The Old Mill is a small urban riverside agricultural building that retains much of its mid to late 18th-century frame, including a significant stopped and chamfered spine beam of Baltic pine, and it holds both group value and townscape value.