Avon Mills, Outer Buldings

Avon Mills, Outer Buildings is a woollen mill built in 1790 for Francis Hill, which has been converted into flats in 1984. The structure is made of limestone rubble with ashlar and brick dressings, topped with a slate roof. It has an L-shaped plan consisting of two single-depth ranges and stands five storeys tall with an attic, featuring an 8:8 window arrangement. The exterior is plain and regular, with a coved cornice and ashlar parapets that ramp up at the ends, along with coped end gables. There is a one-window linking section at the eastern end of the northern block, which contains a segmental-arched carriageway with a key and imposts. The building has brick segmental-arched heads over 20th-century three-light casements, some of which are blocked, and four dormers. A 20th-century doorway is located in the southern block, five bays from the archway, with lower flanking windows. Additionally, there is a two-centre arched doorway on the right side of the carriageway and a round-headed doorway on the rear elevation of the northern block, four bays from the archway. The southern block is built into the hill behind, featuring a similar elevation with a continuous dormer leading to a flat-roofed end section over the corner. The interior has not been inspected but is reported to be largely from the late 20th century. Historically, the mill was originally known as Burton Hill Mill, was enlarged in 1803, and converted to steam power in 1838. It has also served as a corn mill around 1825 and a silk mill around 1850.