Building record 5365/1/1 - Dodford Mill

Possibly one of the two mills recorded at Dodford by the Domesday Survey. A new mill was built in 1836 and last used in 1947. Now converted to dwelling whilst retaining much of the machinery in situ.

{1} Watermill. Dated 1836. Red brick in English bond, slate roof. 3-storey, 3-window range. 4-panel door in moulded wood surround to right of centre. 2-light casement windows to ground and first floors. Windows and door have segmental arched heads. Small 1-light casements to second floor with wood lintels. Plinth and brick dentil cornice. Single-storey lean-to engine house to left of door. Round-headed arch over mill face to rear. Interior: 3 pairs of stones, large cast-iron waterwheel, probably original, and chamfered spine beams. Considerable amount of machinery, including hursting and gearing, sack hoist and sophisticated arrangements for transport of stock. (G. Starmer, check-list of Northamptonshire wind and water mills; Bulletin of Industrial Archaeology; C.B.A. Group 9, 1970).

{3} Brick building with slate roof; post med or poss modern; part of group of buildings isolated from road; mill house & stables; waterwheel & gearing still survive;

{5} STANDING BUILDING;DODFORD WATERMILL.

{6} Originally fed from a pond served by a long leat from the River Nene. A brick three storey building with a slate roof, it has a date stone of 1836 in the gable end. The mill was last used in 1947 and allowed to deteriorate until acquired by new owners who have converted it to a dwelling whilst retaining much of the original layout of the mill as well as most of the machinery.

{7} 1086 Domesday Survey records at Dodeford two mills rendering 10s.
1772 Lucy Knightley of Fawsley insured his house in Dodford, in the tenure of John Bull, miller for £100 and the adjoining mill one roof for £100. All brick, stone and thatched and tiled.
1836 New mill built (date stone in gable end).
1885 Using water and steam power.
1916 Dodford Mill sold by Fawsley estates.
1947 Mill last used
1986 Mill and site purchased and site converted into a dwelling whilst keeping all the milling machinery in situ.

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

<2> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), F06 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN44900.

<3> Starmer G.H., 1965, CBA Record Cards: Industrial Archaeology in Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Recording Form (Not SMR)). SNN1611.

<4> Starmer G.H., 1982, National Register of Industrial Monuments, (part checked) (Catalogue). SNN563.

<5> CORRESPONDENCE, (unchecked) (Note). SNN46794.

<6> Northamptonshire Industrial Archaeology Group, 2001, NIAG Industrial Gazetteer, (part checked) (Draft). SNN101121.

<7> STARMER G., 2002?, Northamptonshire Watermills Survey 2001 - 2002 (A-H), p. 44 (Report). SNN105520.

Record last edited

Oct 2 2020 2:45PM