Building record 1681/7/1 - Brigstock Mill

Watermill. Probably C18 origins, mainly mid C19. Squared coursed limestone with Welsh and Colleyweston slate roofs.

{1} Watermill. Probably C18 origins, mainly mid C19. Squared coursed limestone with Welsh and Colleyweston slate roofs. Irregular L-shape plan. 2 storeys, part with loft and basement. 6-window range of C20 casements, in original openings, under shallow stone arches. Rectangular basement window openings, some with original casements. C20 door to far right has flight of C20 steps. Rear elevation is similar. Gable to left of main front has cast-iron waterwheel attached, with lean-to structure over. Gable to right has evidence of earlier build. Range of buildings attached at right angles to rear are similar. Central first floor door has flight of wooden steps. Building attached at far end of range, abutting Mill Lane, is probably late C18 and has hipped roof with Colleyweston slates. Interior not inspected but noted as having cast-iron columns and remains of drive shafts from water wheel.

{3} {5} A three storey stone building with slate roof having negligible eaves giving a very blocky appearance to the mill. The 21ft 6in diameter breast shot iron waterwheel is at the west end of the building. By 1914 steam power had been introduced. Originally a corn mill and now converted to a dwelling.

{4} The mill is rectangular in plan with a smaller single-storey rectangular extension from the north west end of the south east side, possibly added to house the steam engine. The walls are of stone and the gabled roof has a slate-like covering. The north east side is of two storeys with basement and of five bays. There are windows in each second storey bay; windows in the end and middle bays of the first storey with doors, approached by steps in the other two bays. The basement has smaller windows under each of the first storey windows. The south west side is of three storeys and five bays. There re windows in each bay of the upper two storeys. At the north west end of this side, the single storey extension is across three bays. The extension originally had a gabled roof and now has a flat roof, probably to allow light to the upper storey windows at this end of the main building.
At the north west end of the building is the iron breast-shot waterwheel of 21ft 6in diameter, 7ft wide and carrying 84 buckets. The wheel is still intact. Although the wheel is now exposed, marks on the north west gable show that there had been a wheel-house over the wheel.

{6} Undated photo;

Northamptonshire Industrial Archaeology Group, 1996-2013, Northamptonshire Industrial Archaeology Group Newsletter, Issue 97 p.2 (unchecked) (Newsletter). SNN55360.

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 15/79 (checked) (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), G09 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN41470.

<3> Northamptonshire Industrial Archaeology Group, 2001, A Guide To The Industrial Heritage Of Northamptonshire, site 49 (checked) (Gazetteer). SNN104759.

<4> STARMER G., 2002?, Northamptonshire Watermills Survey 2001 - 2002 (A-H), p.14 (checked) (Report). SNN105520.

<5> Northamptonshire Industrial Archaeology Group, 2011, A Guide To The Industrial Heritage of Northamptonshire (2nd Edition), Site 52 (checked) (Gazetteer). SNN107622.

<6> Photographs of buildings in Brigstock (Photographs). SNN111673.

Record last edited

Mar 8 2023 9:19AM