Battens Mill

A water mill, likely dating to the late 16th century and possibly with earlier origins, constructed of stone rubble with a slate roof and gable ends. The plan is of uncertain original arrangement, with evidence of fireplaces in the left-hand gable end and on the first floor of the right-hand gable end. Floor levels have been altered on several occasions, and the general layout is rectangular, featuring a wide front entrance and a 19th-century overshot wheel at the rear. The mill machinery is of circa late 19th century.

The asymmetrical front elevation features an impressive entrance slightly left of centre, with a lean-to porch roof supported by two granite piers with broach stops, moulded bases and caps. The doorway has a rounded chamfered granite arch. A large garage door has been inserted to the left, and a 19th-century casement window with a 20th-century window is located in a dormer with a raking roof to the right. Windows in the left-hand side elevation have granite surrounds. An entrance is located in the right-hand gable end. At the rear, remains of an overshot wheel and its timber buckets are visible.

The interior has undergone phased alterations during the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, necessitating a full measured survey to fully understand the layout. The floor height on the left has been raised, and differing window heights and a chamfered granite fireplace lintel suggest the first-floor level was also altered multiple times. Granite corbelled brackets are set into the rear wall, presumably to support floor joists, with a ledge above them indicating the height of a later floor level. To the right, the mill machinery appears largely intact and is worthy of recording. A pair of millstones survives, and the partitions within the loft relate to the 19th-century machinery, partially obscuring earlier features. A fireplace is present in the right-hand end wall, with carved lozenge pattern detailing on the granite right-hand jamb and a chamfered left-hand jamb. The roof structure appears to be original, or at least from the late 16th or early 17th century, comprising four heavy trusses with curved feet resting on the wall plate. The apices are morticed, and the cranked chamfered collars have dovetailed single notched and lap-joints; the number of collars remaining is uncertain. This is an interesting mill requiring further detailed survey.