Wreay Hall Mill

1791/0/10006

HESKET, WREAY, Wreay Hall Mill

21.7.05

II

Water-powered corn mill and attached drying kiln. Dated 1663 and 1808, with later architect unknown. Rock-faced red sandstone with dressed sandstone quoins beneath sandstone and slate roof coverings. PLAN: L-shaped plan form with the kiln house stepped back from the main elevation and with an attached brick and rock-faced sandstone wheelhouse outshut to rear. EXTERIOR: Main east elevation has doorway to kilns with timber door on ground floor, small window with two vertical iron bars on upper floor and roof vent above. Mill has chamfered door surround with timber door at north end of structure with stone lintel above door and two date stones above lintel. Oldest date stone has triangular inset with initials and date carved in relief, youngest date stone is carved with three lines of initials above date. Ground-floor window to left of door with timber-doored opening on upper floor above. Aperture for drive shaft to left of window. South gable has central ground-floor window and timber-doored opening on first floor. Rear elevation has timber-doored opening on upper floor of mill. Outshut contains in situ waterwheel, entrance doorway on west elevation, opening on north elevation. Kiln house has two small windows, one on ground floor one on upper floor, and two ground floor vertical wall vents. North gable has five rectangular vent or putlog holes on upper floor. INTERIOR: Ground floor contains main drive machinery from wheelhouse including primary and secondary gear wheels, drive shafts and a hoist. Timber ceiling to ground floor. Access from ground floor of mill to original brick-built drying kiln Timber stairs to former stone floor of mill which contains timber floor, the hoist wheel and timber roof structure. Upper floor of kiln house has timber floor and timber roof structure.

HISTORY: Date stones suggest an earlier building of 1663, remodelled in 1808. Both date stones are initialled.

Sources: Unpublished information provided by the applicant. Davies-Shiel, M. Watermills of Cumbria. See http://www.cumbria-industries.org.uk/corn.htm

Wreay Hall Mill is of special architectural interest as a water-powered corn or grist mill, thought to have been built in 1663,subsequently remodelled in 1803, and retaining much of its machinery, its water wheel and drying kiln.