Monument record 7791/1 - Burton Latimer Mill

{1} Industry type: Corn milling, cotton spinning, silk spinning, worsted spinning, carpet manufacture, mustard & chicory milling, flour milling, and production of ready-to-eat cereal foods.

History:
1086 Burtone had two mills rendering 16s.
1220 References to separate ownership of each of the two mills in Burton Latimer.
1787 The north mill was being used for cotton manufacture and was described as being of stone and slated.
1794 Mills for sale and described as new, very substantial, 60 feet by 30 feet and four stories in height.
1815 By this time the production had changed to silk.
C. 1820 An 8 horse power steam engine was installed.
1827 After this date the mills changed hands and production, this time to worsted spinning and carpet manufacture.
1838 57 workers were employed at the mills, which worked in conjunction with Isham mill.
1848 A new five-storey mill was erected in 1848.
1849 Owners were bankrupt and the mill for sale. Carpet manufacture continued under new owners.,
1857 Mill was purchased by John Waltis of Kettering, and altered for the manufacture of mustard and chicory.
1864 Flour milling was also undertaken at the mill.
1876 The main building was completely gutted by fire when only two walls were left standing. At this time Wallis had connected the works by tramway to the Midland Railway nearby.
1881 By this time the mill had been rebuilt and was working solely as a flour mill, with eight pairs of stones driven by a 50 horse power steam engine and water power, when it was offered for sale. Minnett & Wright appear to have bought the mill.
1885 John Lovell Wright seemed to be the sole proprietor.
C.1900 T & J Wallis Ltd. Took over.
1930s After the mill had fallen into disuse it was rented by the British and African Cereal Co. Ltd. For the production of ready-to-eat cereal food they called Weetabix, buying the wheat from Whitworths, of Victoria Mills, Little Irchester.
British and African Cereals soon were in financial trouble, including owing Whitworth’s for the wheat supplied. Consequently they were taken over by Whitworths who made a success of the business. New buildings have continued to be erected to, provide increased production, surrounding the original mill.

Documentary sources: The mill is shown, un-named, on the 1791 Eyre’s/Jefferies map. The map for the 1803 Burton Latimer Inclosure Award shows the mill. 1819 survey plan for OS marks it Burton Mill; 1827 Bryant’s map marks it Silk Mill; 1835 1 inch OS map marks it Woollen Mill.

<1> STARMER G., 2002?, Northamptonshire Watermills Survey 2001 - 2002 (A-H), p.17 (checked) (Report). SNN105520.

Record last edited

Jul 11 2013 10:19AM