Monument record 3985/1 - Former Desborough Watermill

The watermill was disused by the late 19th/early 20th century and demolished by the mid 20th century.

{1} Site of Watermill shown on early maps. Disused by 1926. Mill house may survive.

{2} Watermill shown

{3} History:
1086 Domesday survey records Deisburg with one mill rendering 2s
1777 Militia List records John and Joshua Thorp millers, at Desborough
1857 Mill for sale by auction and described as stone built and slated with an overshot wheel and containing one pair of French stones, one pair of peak stones and dressing machine
1892 Water and Steam Corn Flour Mill for sale, containing 3 pairs of stones, dressing and smut machines
1906 Not mentioned in trade directories from this date
1920 Still standing
1924 Waterworks on site

Documentary sources: Eyre and Jeffrey's 1791 map shows it, unnamed; 1824 1 inch OS map marks it merely as Mill; Bryant's 1827 map marks it as Rushton Mill on a loop of the stream in Rushton parish to the east of the main stream which forms the parish boundary between Desborough and Rushton; 1886 25 inch OS map marks it Desborough Mill; and the 1924/8 1 inch OS map marks Waterworks at site of mill.

The former mill-pond is now a boggy area north of the track which heads east from the junction of Copelands Road and Rushton Road. There is a large drop to the stream immediately south of the track but no obvious evidence of the mill. The present Watermill Close (which appears to follow the course of the former approach to the mill) is at a significantly lower level than the track. The difference in levels may have been utilised by taking the grain along the upper track into the top of the mill, directly into the garners, and despatching the finished flour by the lower level track. It this supposition is correct, this utilisation of the lay of the land is almost unique for a Northamptonshire mill.

<1> Ballinger J., 1999, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Industrial Period, (unchecked) (Digital archive). SNN4.

<2> MAP, (unchecked) (Map). SNN23917.

<3> STARMER G., 2002?, Northamptonshire Watermills Survey 2001 - 2002 (A-H), p.40 (checked) (Report). SNN105520.

Record last edited

Jun 15 2021 11:30AM