The Watermill

The Watermill, a water-mill and former public house, was built around 1860. A water wheel was installed in 1904. It is constructed of coursed squared gritstone with a grey slate roof. The building is two storeys high and has twelve bays. A modern gabled porch is located in bay 9, with a glazed archway to the right. The ground floor has 20-pane, centre-hinged windows, with two four-pane sash windows to the far right. The first floor has 16-pane, centre-hinged windows, all with projecting sills and plain lintels. Stone gutter brackets are present. The roof features gable coping, end stacks, and a ridge stack in bay 9. A large water wheel is attached to the left gable end, with stone steps leading to the hub and header tank. Originally known as Foster Beck Mill, the mill was built in 1864 and initially used for spinning twine or linen yarns; it later produced twine. It ceased operation in 1966, by which time the wheel was driven by a diesel engine. The water wheel is a 30 horse-power high-breast shot wheel with a rim drive, measuring 35 feet by 5 feet.