Monument record 6271/1 - Rushmills, Rissemiln

{1} Mentions monk's mill and mill pool named Rissemiln (Rush Mills).

{2} Watermill near the Bedford Road.

{3} In 1833 original corn mill leased to Stacey Wise for paper-making. In 1840 Government contract obtained to make bank notes and government stamp paper, and later postage stamps. In 1847 the mill burnt down but was rebuilt and continued to make paper under the Wise family until 1881 when it was sold to Spalding and Hodge. By 1888 the paper-making had almost ceased and in 1889 it was purchased by Sparre Patents Co. Ltd. Who converted it to grinding corn again. In 1897 Rushmills was converted to use steam and water power. The mill was purchased by woolmonger Parker Gray who installed a water turbine up-stream to generate electricity. In 1948 the mill taken over by the Co-operative Fellmongers and the waterwheel was used to drive saw bench up until late 1960s.

{4} The earliest references to Rushmills is found amongst manuscripts preserved in the British Museum. One is dated 1259/60 and mentions a mill pool known as Rissemiln.

{5} History:
1086 Domesday Survey records Hardingestorp with two mills rendering 50s.
c.1135 The ‘new mill, Riscmiln’ was in Earl Simon’s demesne in Hardingstone, which he gave to St. Andrew’s priory, Northampton.
1609 In dispute with Nunn Mills, Rush Mill was said to have two Mill wheels.
1684 William Allen, papermaker at Rush Mill.
1769 Land leased to Francis Hayes, paper maker, who was to rebuild a watermill which had burnt.
1791 Francis Hayes, paper maker, insured his paper mill and offices adjoining, with drying shed over, in the parish of Hardingstone, stone and tiled, for £500.
1831 Notice of sale by order of the assignees of John Hayes, an insolvent, a two-vat paper Mill, at Hardingstone.
1833 Mr. Stacey Wise leased the mills and purchased them the following year.
1840 Mr. Wise, of Rush Mills, obtained the order from the post office for the supply of the penny adhesive stamps (The very first ‘Penny Blacks’)
1847 Mills burnt down.
1852 Steam engine in use.
1865 Fire in the rag room at Rush Mill.
1867 New rag warehouse erected near Rush Mill.
1888 Mill closed.
1889 Work recommenced by Sparre Patents Co. Ltd. to produce by machinery a paper similar to that made by hand.
1897 Plant and machinery at Rush Paper Mills advertised for sale.
1919 By this time Parker-Gray had purchased the mill and used it for skin dressing.
1924 Most of mill burnt down.
1948 Premises acquired by Co-operative Wholesale Society for fellmongering. Waterwheel used to power a circular saw.
1970s Fellmongering business closed.
1985 Remaining parts of mill demolished.
Documentary sources: Marked as Rush Mill on John Harris’s 1712 map; on Eyre & Jefferys’ 1791 map and on Bryant’s 1827 map. Law’s 1847 map of Northampton marks it Rush Mills.

<1> Serjeantson R.M., 1909, A History Of Delapre Abbey, Northampton, (unchecked) (Book). SNN474.

<2> Starmer G.H., 1982, National Register of Industrial Monuments, p.9 v.17 (checked) (Catalogue). SNN563.

<3> NORTHAMPTON BOROUGH COUNCIL, 1987, Watermills in Northampton: History & Survivals, p.13 (checked) (Booklet). SNN15540.

<4> Manuscript, Dated 1259/1260 (Document). SNN22572.

<5> STARMER G., 2002?, Northamptonshire Watermills Survey 2001 - 2002 (A-H), p.63 (checked) (Report). SNN105520.

Record last edited

May 3 2022 2:12PM