Monument record 7096/1 - Heyford Mill

Derelict mill buildings probably of post-medieval date.

{1} History:
1086 Domesday survey records Haiford with one mill rendering 16s.
1160s Mill given to Luffield Priory by Richard and Ralf de Kaynes.
1187 Prior John let the mill to Hugh de Heyford.
c.1300 Dispute about the watermill in Heyford between the convent and Reginald de Hotot and Amicabilia, his wife. Amicabilia, daughter of Hugh de Heyford, was unwillingly paying 21s. 4d. rent for the mill.
1478 Walter Mantel had the mill, also for 21s 4d. per annum.
1509 Edward Bale, Heyford, miller.
1798 Thomas Cosford had the water-mill, capable of grinding 20 quarters per week.
1897 Described as ‘a small water corn mill driving three pairs of stones’.
1914 Last record of a member of the Cosford family being miller here.
1967 Mill disused with no waterwheel and little machinery but all the buildings were in good condition.
1990s Mill had considerably deteriorated, mainly due to vandalism.
Documentary sources: Eyre & Jefferys’ 1791 map shows it, un-named; 1813 survey plan for OS marks it Heyford Mill; and Bryant’s 1827 map marks it merely as Mill.

There are a number of buildings at this site. Several are associated with farming and this report considers only those associated with the watermill, which are situated on each side of the river. The buildings on the north side consist of a two-story with attic mill at right angles to the river and adjacent on the north-east side a three storey mill-house. There is some evidence that the waterwheel for this mill was at the south-west gable end, turned by the flow in the main channel.
On the south side of the river is a later mill of two and attic storeys, parallel to the river. Near the north-west end brick arches in the lower storey of each side parallel to the river indicated the position of a wheel race at right angles to the river. The change in levels suggest there was an overshot wheel here.
All the buildings are of brick and originally had grey slated gable roofs. All are in a ruinous and dangerous state.
Because of their dangerous condition, none of the buildings was entered. It was possible to look through an opening in the later mill and it appeared that, apart from some shafting, all of the milling machinery had been removed.

{2}The site consists of the brick mill building itself and a range of associated structures. The buildings are principally of stone construction on the front elevation with heightening work, extensions and patching work carried out in brick. The principle roofing material is welsh slate with some corrugated iron. A number of windows on the front elevation are of the three light centrally opening side hung wrought iron casement window type with timber lintels. Such windows are typical of the first part of the 19th century and are placed, as one might anticipate, in the stone built sections of the mill buildings. None of this window type seem to exist in the brick built portions suggesting investment in and expansion of the site sometime during the last quarter of the 19th century.The structures are in a very poor condition and unless work to consolidate the various structures is undertaken very soon it would seem that demolition of this important structure will be inevitable.

{3} Derelict mill building. Mainly of brick and stone. Standing fabric believed to be wholly/largely of post-medieval origin.

<1> STARMER G., 2002?, Northamptonshire Watermills Survey 2001 - 2002 (A-H), p.69 (checked) (Report). SNN105520.

<2> Ellison, M., 1997, SMR Report Form, (checked) (SMR Report Form). SNN49279.

<3> Cadman, G., 1997, SMR Report Form, (checked) (SMR Report Form). SNN49729.

Record last edited

Mar 15 2022 9:27AM