Building record 1223/3/1 - Mill House, Mill Cottage & Mill Wheel, Potterspury Watermill

At Domesday in 1086 there was one mill recorded at Perie. On 1787, there was a mill, dwelling house and bakehouse adjoining, all thatched. In 1864 the mill was described as three storeys with attic. In 1928 milling was still by steam and water, although by 1940 an oil engine was used. By 1960 all machinery was stripped out and the mill was later converted into a dwelling.

{1} Water mill and mill house, now converted into 3 dwellings. c.1850-60 with C20 alterations. Coursed limestone rubble, slate roof, brick ridge and end stacks. 3-storey, 5-window mill and 2-storey, 3-window mill house. The latter has 2-unit plan. Mill and mill house are both under same roof. Former mill (Mill House) has C20 windows and door in original openings with round-arched brick heads. Slate-hung gabled hoist over centre above eaves. Red-brick lean-to extension to right. Former mill house on higher ground has central C20 door and 12-pane sash windows to ground and 1st floor, except for small central 1st floor window, all with segmental-arched brick heads. Brick corbelled eaves to whole block. Gabled wing to rear of former mill (Mill Wheel) has similar fenestration, probably former engine house, with tall rebuilt red-brick chimney adjacent. No machinery survives. Originally water-powered, the mill also had steam power. Built to serve the Grafton estate.

{3}1086 Domesday survey recorded at perie one mill rendering 18s 4d.
1787 Thomas Onan, of Potterspury, miller and baker, insured £150 on his dwelling house, mill and bakehouse adjoining. All thatched.
1827 Notice of sale by auction at Potterspury, of a water corn mill with two pairs of stones and the requisite machinery for grinding and dressing.
1864 WW Sanders advertising that he will supply pure oatmeal from Potterspury Mill using water and steam power. By this time his mill was of three storeys plus attic storey, with a tall brick chimney.
1867 the mill, late occupied by WW Sanders, advertised for sale by auction.
1883 Advertisement for sale of mill describes it as a four-storey water and steam mill, stone-built and slated, of modern erection, driving four pairs of stones and fitted with first-class machinery of the most recent invention, with garners capable of storing 350 quarters of corn…together with the millhouse.
1887 plan made for enlarging the mill and adding a roller milling plant, the tenant being desirous of working on the combined system, and of making a superior grade of flour.
It seems unlikely that these plans were carried out.
1898 potterspury Mill advertised to let: four storeys fitted up with two pairs of stones, centrifugal silk dresser, smutter, mixer and bran duster, 8 horse power engine and 10 feet diameter water wheel. Enquiries to the estate office, Potterspury.
1928 Milling still by steam and water.
1940 milling using an oil engine.
1951 Tom Perrin, using water power and an old Fordson tractor, sold the business to Francis Cole of Newport Pagnell, and the mill building to Holloway brothers, as a small holding who used the machinery for gristing for themselves.
1954 Mill dam filled when sewer put into village.
1959 Mill no loner used for gristing.
1960 All machinery stripped out and sold for scrap.
Later, mill converted to dwelling.

{4} Four undated photos, also one photo dated 29.10.1993;

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 15/98 (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), F11 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN45262.

<3> STARMER G., 2002?, Northamptonshire Watermills Survey 2001 - 2002 (H-Z), p.101 (Report). SNN105521.

<4> Photographs of buildings in Potterspury (Photographs). SNN112957.

Record last edited

Feb 16 2022 10:42AM