Monument record 6226/1 - Site of Little Mill, Mill Road

Site of a post-medieval waterpowered corn mill, possibly replacing a medieval mill. It was rebuilt as a steampowered mill in the late 19th-century becoming a Leather Works (Dickenson's Leather; The Alma Leather Co.) in the early 20th century. In 2002 a fire destroyed most of the mill.

{1} Leather Works, Mill Road. A large leather works factory lies on Mill Road to the east of the Midland Railway line. The building is dated to 'JP 1889'. Now in in use by 'Alma Leather Co', although the building appears to be in a poor condition with trees growing up the sides etc.
The Tithe Map of 1847 shows three watermills: Wallis's Mill on the River Nene; Kilborn's Mill and Little Mill both on the River Ise. It is likely that all three of these mills were medieval in origin. There were two watermills belonging to Crowland Manor (SMR 7206/104) in the medieval period, and Little Mill may have been one of them.

{2} The brick building and its original chimney are dated to 1889. The current chimney is approximately 40-45ft high but may have been higher originally as the surviving structure is dated to 1918 near its base. The works were owned by Dickenson's Leather in the 1960s.

{3} History:
Prior to 1879 the site was a water powered corn mill
1879 Jas. F Page, leather dresser of Winstanley Road, at the mill site, now named Midland Works.
1889 Mill rebuilt by Jotto Page.
1918 Chimney built, brick and over 45 feet high, presumably from boiler house for steam engine.
1920 Describe as currier’s works.
1925 By this time the Midland Works had been extended both sides of the river and south of the road
1928 James Page & Co. Ltd., leather manufacturers, Mill Road.
1960s Buildings derelict but still contained remains of water wheel.
2001 Owner of site went into partnership which seemed to run into difficulties, concerned with failure to get planning permission to develop the site.
2002 Early in the year a fire destroyed most of the mill.

The leat appears to have been filled-in, leaving water flowing only in the main river channel outside the mill site.
Following the fire of 2002 virtually all of the mill buildings have been demolished. Industrial sheds use some parts of the walls. Alongside the north side of Mill Road, the reduced height wall of the mill has had all the openings bricked in. The blue brick arch, surviving just above road level, indicates the position of the former wheel-race and the blue brick surrounds of two bricked-in windows provide some evidence of the later mill.

Documentary sources: 1779 Eyre's map marks it Little Mill; 1827 Bryant's map marks it Little Mill; 1830 1 inch OS map marks it Little Mill; 1925 25 OS map marks it Midland Works (Leather dressers).

<1> Foard G, 1999, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Wellingborough (Medieval + Post Medieval), (checked) (Digital archive). SNN100339.

<2> Starmer G.H., 1965, CBA Record Cards: Industrial Archaeology in Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Recording Form (Not SMR)). SNN1611.

<3> STARMER G., 2002?, Northamptonshire Watermills Survey 2001 - 2002 (H-Z), p.127 (checked) (Report). SNN105521.

<4> 1849, Wellingborough Tithe Map 1849, (checked) (Map). SNN100363.

<5> Chadwick P., 1997, Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment of Land East of Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, p.13 (checked) (Report). SNN62261.

<6> James, W., 1803, Wellingborough Town 1803, (checked) (Map). SNN100362.

<7> 1771, Survey of Wellingborough Hatton manor 1771, (checked) (Document). SNN100360.

Record last edited

Apr 25 2025 9:01AM