Gants Mill

This is a water mill, largely of the 18th and 19th centuries, with origins dating back to the late 13th century. The building is constructed of local stone rubble with ashlar and brick dressings, and has a plain clay tile roof with coped gables. It is arranged in a "T" shape and has three storeys with attics, comprising eight bays, a projection, and then four bays on the South elevation. Most windows are 2-light casements with segmental arched gauged brick heads. The lights in the four right-hand bays are mostly replacements from the 18th century, while some original wood frames with leaded lights survive in the first seven bays, which date to 1810. Some windows in this section have been blocked. Under the timber beam bays one to three, and in bay six, are stable openings, and a doorway with keystones to a brick arch and an approach stair ladder. Two attic dormers remain in the projecting wing, which was likely added in 1883 to accommodate a steam engine and later a turbine. This wing features stone arched windows and small-pane casement windows. The main block is of full height, but has a further single-storey section. A timber, brick, and tile extension, formerly over part of the mill pond, is attached to the North gable.

The interior is timber-framed, with early cast iron columns supporting the main crossbeams. Some old machinery spindles have been incorporated as props, and roof trusses in the West section likely date to 1810, while those in the East section are earlier.

The mill was in use in 1983 for grinding animal feed and occasionally whole wheat flour, utilising machinery from 1888, including grindstones, conveyors, a sack hoist, grain bins, and power from a 20-inch British Empire turbine by Armfields of Ringwood.

The first mill on the site was a fulling mill, soon two, erected around 1290. One mill was probably demolished in the 17th or 18th century and the other adapted as a corn mill. Between 1800 and 1810, it was extended and fitted out as a silk mill, but by around 1830, it reverted to milling flour and animal feedstuffs. Steam power was introduced in 1883, replaced by a semi-diesel unit in 1914, which was sold around 1940. The former brick chimney has since been demolished.