Thorverton Mill

Thorverton Mill is a flour mill built in 1898, which was rebuilt after a fire. It is constructed of grey limestone with brick dressings and features a two-span bitumen-painted slate roof that is gabled at both ends. The internal layout of this large working mill has been modified for current use, but the original setup included a roller milling section and a wheat-cleaning department, each with separate roofing and divided by a solid wall. The mill was powered by two water turbines driven by the River Exe and had a siding connecting it to the Exe Valley railway. It was also lit by electricity and included granolithic silos, which were noted as a "pioneer installation" at the time. The water turbines and granolithic silos remain in use today. The mill has four storeys and an impressive exterior, featuring five bays on the sides and three on the gabled ends, with timber casement windows that have glazing bars and segmental brick arches. On the southeast side, there are two segmental brick arches where the leat flows out from beneath the building. Inside, the substantial late 19th-century grain silos are made of granolithic, a cement material based on crushed granite, patented by Stuart's Granolithic Stone Company, Limited, of Limehouse, London. These comparatively thin slabs were recognized for their extraordinary pressure-resistance in 1898. The original machinery was installed by Messrs Thomas Robinson and Son, Limited, of Rochdale, who also constructed the silos. The "Leffel" water turbines have diameters of 52 and 40 inches, respectively, and the original electrical supply was set up by Messrs Christy Bros. of Chelmsford, with a dynamo powered by one of the turbines. Thorverton Mill is an imposing example of rural industrial architecture. For a detailed account, refer to The Miller, "British and Irish Flour Mills: Mr E.J. Coombe's New Roller Plant at Thorverton," published on October 3, 1898, pages 528-529.