Payford Mill

Payford Mill

A mill, now converted to residential use, situated on the River Leadon, which forms the parish boundary between Pauntley and Redmarley D'Abitot. The building dates from the 18th century, possibly earlier, with alterations from the 19th and 20th centuries.

The mill is constructed of brick and coursed stone rubble, with a timber-framed end bay to the right (north) featuring brick noggin and a weatherboarded gable end. The roof is modern tiled.

The building comprises a four-bay single-depth structure with an undershot wheel at the end gable (north). It is positioned between the river to the east and a steep sandstone cliff to the west. The structure stands two storeys high with an attic.

The front elevation is of painted brick with an irregular fenestration, predominantly large segmental-arched casements and modern roof lights. A single-storey brick extension sits to the left. The principal entrance is to the right. The timber-framed bay to the right contains smaller windows set within square panelling. The framing comprises five panels from sill to wall plate, filled with painted brick noggin on a stone and brick plinth, with a roof of slightly lower height. The gable end is clad in weatherboarding with modern windows at the apex and a pair of small wooden casements to the first floor. The cast iron undershot wheel is probably 19th-century in date, with a 20th-century elm hub and newly restored paddles (late 1990s).

The rear elevation is of painted coursed stone rubble with a brick upper storey, featuring a large stone external stack with brick upper courses to the right and one dormer to the end bay. The south elevation is of brick, built adjacent to the cliff face, with one 2-light casement at the gable apex.

The mill has been converted to residential use. Although no machinery remains, some residual industrial features survive in the timber-framed end bay: the wheel pit and bearing plates to the ground floor, a taking-in hatch to the stair wall at first floor, and a ceiling pulley at second floor. An open well staircase of likely 20th-century date has been inserted beside this bay. The two southern bays are open at ground floor with reset timbers in the north wall and ceiling, and unadorned fireplaces. An open stair to the west wall leads to the first floor, and a further enclosed stair with plain handrail and no balusters reaches the second floor. The first floor has large elm floorboards; the second floor retains original timber-framed partitions.

Associated features around the mill include sluices and a footbridge. A range of timber-framed outbuildings to the north of the mill are built against the cliff face, with the northernmost structure housing a stone cider press.

Documentary sources indicate that a mill has occupied this site since at least the 17th century. The building is predominantly of probable 18th-century date and appears on Isaac Taylor's map of 1777. The western stone-built elevation appears to be the earliest part of the structure. In the later 19th century the mill was converted to paper milling, but had reverted to corn milling by 1900, producing animal feed rather than flour. The mill underwent restoration during the 1930s but ceased production in 1947 following floods that damaged the weir and washed away part of the waterwheel.