Monument record 4159/2 - Post Medieval Watermill, Rockingham

A watermill was located on this site from at least the 13th century. The buildings were disused by 1901. Earthworks and grass covered walls have been recorded here.

{1}A watermill, which may have been on this site, is mentioned in Domesday Book and in a number of later documents. Various maps, from an estate map of 1615 to the OS 6in. Of 1887, show a watermill on the present site, but by 1901 it had been abandoned. Remains consisting of a broad leat, 13m wide and 1.5m deep, running parallel with the river and leading to the site of the mill, now a narrow channel lined with stone and brick walls. On either side are the grass-covered foundations of the mill itself. Below is an irregular marshy area which was formerly a pond;

{2} The mill was mentioned in 1274-5 when Robert Oiver is said to have appropriated a piece of the King's meadow 20 rods by 2 feet to enlarge his mill race. Open field regulations of 1579-80 lay down that 'when it is several fielde' access was to be maintained by a 'footepathe from the Common Balk…overthwarte the lands…as of ancient tyne used'.

{4}A mill is not mentioned at Rockigham in the Domesday Book. There is record of a watermill in the manor in 1274-5 and again in 1579-80. It is unclear whether this is the same mill as that recorded in 1467 as part of the Holt property. There was one watermill on a leat adjacent to the Welland in 1615 and this survived until at least 1887 but had been demolished by 1901. The earthworks of a leat with channel and brick wall revetment and traces of the former buildings remain. (1)

[6} 1615 Shown on estate map of Rockingham
1726 Rockingham water mill repaired.
1847-69 John Baines, miller, Rockingham.
1887 Shown on OS map as still working.
1901 OS map marks it as 'Old Watermill'
1922 mill still standing but described as 'disused'.
Later, demolished.

Parallel to the river are earthworks, possibly the remains of a leat. At the north-east end the ground is irregular with stones and bricks visible. A brick and stone walled depression may have been the wheel-race. The north-east of this depression the stone and brick walls curved outwards to edge a marshy area which was possiblyt the tail pond.

<0> HYLTON T.; MASTERS P., 1998, Empingham to Hannington Anglian Water Pipeline, Northamptonshire Section, Archaeological Evaluation: Stage 1, (unchecked) (Report). SNN63049.

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1979, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.128/Site 8 (unchecked) (Series). SNN77380.

<2> BROWN A.E.; TAYLOR C.C., 1974, The Earthworks of Rockingham and its Neighbourhood, 9/76+77 (unchecked) (Article). SNN40063.

<3> Eagle J., 1806, Map of The Estates of The Right Honourable Lewis Richard, Lord Sondes at Rockingham, Cottingham, (unchecked) (Map). SNN100475.

<4> FOARD G., 1999, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Rockingham (Medieval and Post Medieval), (unchecked) (Digital archive). SNN100473.

<5> 1615, Map of Rockingham 1615, (unchecked) (Map). SNN100477.

<6> STARMER G., 2002?, Northamptonshire Watermills Survey 2001 - 2002 (H-Z), p. 104 (Report). SNN105521.

<7> Royal Air Force, Vertical Aerial Photography, A/P (RAF VAP 541/612, 3055-6) (Photographs). SNN104890.

Record last edited

Mar 3 2022 3:35PM