The Old Brewery

The Old Brewery is a former mill and house, dating from the 17th century, with later 18th-century additions and alterations from the 1860s and 20th century. It was subsequently used as a brewery and then as a barytes crushing mill. The building is constructed of coursed mixed sandstone and limestone rubble, with a graduated greenslate roof. A tall, square, tapering brewery steam-engine chimney rises from the roof of the former house.

The house itself is of two storeys and two bays, with a square kiln of similar date projecting to the left, covered by a pyramidal roof. Above the entrance is a dated and inscribed lintel reading “ISM 1671”. The house has a moulded alternate-block surround. It features a three-light chamfered stone-mullioned window and a smaller fire window to the right, with a similar two-light window above and a blocked fire window. The kiln has a side door and a 20th-century casement window at the front, with a smaller opening above. To the extreme left is a two-storey, four-bay mill, considered contemporary with the house. Adjacent to the house, on the right, is a two-storey, four-bay malt house, with a single-storey, double-span extension to the front right. The malt house has louvred vent windows and two earlier blocked windows. Large 20th-century garage doors are located to the left, with a similar opening to the extreme right.

The rear facade of the former mill has small chamfered-surround 17th-century windows, and one enlarged two-light chamfered stone-mullioned window to the right. Originally a water-corn mill, the building became a brewery around 1860. It ceased production during World War I, when it was used for crushing and drying barytes for local mines. The building was derelict and unoccupied at the time of survey and is currently being converted into four houses, retaining original features.