Building record 7750/1/1 - Blatherwycke Mill

A mill is recorded at Domesday. The current, early 19th-century mill was still in use by 1920, but by the 1930s large pumps were installed to deliver water to the tube-making complex at Corby and the mill buildings were used as a store by the gamekeeper.

{1} Watermill, now disused. Early C19. Squared coursed limestone with ashlar dressings and Welsh slate roof. Rectangular plan. 2 and 3 storeys. Main front of 2 storeys; 3-window range of arch head Gothick style casements, with ashlar surrounds. Central plank door has similar surround and flight of steps. Half hipped roof with ashlar gable parapets and kneelers. 2-window range, attached to right, has arch-head Gothick style casements with glazing bars and ashlar surrounds. Arch head cart entrance, to left, has similar surround. Half hipped roof, similar to main range, with lower eaves. Rear elevation of main range is 3 storeys due to falling ground. 4-window range, to ground and first floor, with large cross casements with glazing bars, under stone lintels with keyblocks. Lunettes to second floor, also with glazing bars. Plank door to left of centre and similar loading door above. Access to wheel house to right. 2-window range attached to left is similar and of 2 storeys. Interior has remains of drive shaft.

{3} Mid C19th mill of three storeys with an adjoining two-storey store room. Coursed rubble with ashlar dressings and Welsh-slated roofs. Sited by the dam of Blatherwycke lake which forms the headwater. Three millstones and some machinery remain.

{5} Photo of former corn mill.

{6} On the south side of the road is a stone corn mill which might be considered to be the most architecturally interesting of the surviving mills of the county. The east side (downstream) is of three storeys with industrial-style windows, whilst the west side is of two storeys with gothic windows. Stewarts & Lloyds Ltd. Acquired the mill in the 1930s and electric pumps were installed to take water from the lake to the new integrated iron, steel and tube works being developed at Corby. Despite this enough of the gearing remains to indicate that it was more the work of engineers than traditional millwrights.

{7} A mill at Blatherwycke is recorded at Domesday, when it rendered only 30d. In 1762 the miller was John Arnell. Blatherwycke Hall and Mill were rebuilt c.1850, the latter facing the hall, its west side being given the appearance of an eye catcher. (A house in the village with similar gothic windows has a datestone of 1831.) The mill was still milling in 1920, but probably went out of use following the lease of 1932 with Stewarts & Lloyds to supply water for the tube-making complex at Corby. At this time large electric pumps were installed in the lower part of the building. Following closure of steel making at Corby in 1979 the basement of the mill was fitted with secure doors when it became the wine cellar for the shoot, which was then using the premises. By this time the waterwheel had already been removed and the structure of the mill was deteriorating. From 1998 'improvements' for the shoot led to the installation of kitchens and a dining room, although the existing machinary was to be left in situ. The interior was inspected 30th July 1998. Details of building given. Two photos of east and west fronts of the building.
The architecture, the social implications of the 'eye-catcher' aspect and what appears to be over-engineering of the mill machinery make this significant beyond the county's boundary, and of national significance. There may also be underground evidence of the earlier mill surviving at this site.

{8} Undated photo, plus one photo dated 18.06.1991, two photos dated 08.12.1993 and two photos dated 30.03.1994;

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 4/32 (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), G12 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN41470.

<3> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1984, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.22 (checked) (Series). SNN77384.

<4> Northamptonshire Industrial Archaeology Group, 2001, NIAG Industrial Gazetteer, (unchecked) (Draft). SNN101121.

<5> Northamptonshire Industrial Archaeology Group, 2010, Northamptonshire Industrial Archaeology Group Newsletter (Vol.115), p.6 (checked) (Newsletter). SNN44153.

<6> Northamptonshire Industrial Archaeology Group, 2001, A Guide To The Industrial Heritage Of Northamptonshire, p.11 (checked) (Gazetteer). SNN104759.

<7> STARMER G., 2002?, Northamptonshire Watermills Survey 2001 - 2002 (A-H), p.8 (checked) (Report). SNN105520.

<8> Photographs of buildings in Blatherwycke (Photographs). SNN112038.

<9> Eyre T. (Revised by Jefferys T.), 1779, Map of the County of Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Map). SNN1852.

<11> Northamptonshire Industrial Archaeology Group, 2011, A Guide To The Industrial Heritage of Northamptonshire (2nd Edition), p.13 (checked) (Gazetteer). SNN107622.

<12> Ordnance Survey, 1811-9, First Edition Ordnance Survey Surveyors Drawings, Sheet 267e (Map). SNN104902.

<13> Ordnance Survey, 1824, First Edition Ordnance Survey 1 Inch Map Series (Sheet 44), (unchecked) (Map). SNN42154.

<14> Bryant A., 1827, Map of The County of Northampton, (unchecked) (Map). SNN2733.

<15> Historic England, Undated, BLATHERWYCKE MILL, KINGS CLIFFE ROAD, BLATHERWYCKE, BF084026 (Archive). SNN116137.

Record last edited

Oct 23 2024 10:56AM