Monument record 727/29 - Watermill, Moat Lane (Formerly Church Mill/ Lord's Mill/ Castle Mill)

{1} The earliest reference to Church Mill discovered to date is from 1542. The name perhaps derives from the mill’s location adjacent to a meadow called Churchemede. This meadow belonged to the manorial lord and adjoined the close known in 1549 as Beryorchard and which was near to the ditch and water running to the lord’s mill. This ditch had perhaps been dug in the early 14th century. In 1317 a townsman had granted Aymer de Valence, lord of the manor, a cut 18 feet wide across his land, taking water to the lord’s mill, recently renewed, and to its fishery. A second townsman quitclaimed a piece of meadow 13 perches in length and 18 feet in width leading to a watercourse to the lord's mill. In 1449 a property was described as standing on the corner opposite the rector’s door, with the lane leading towards the lord’s mill on the south.

{3} 1086 Domesday survey records Tovecestre with one mill, rendering 13s 4d.
Late 17th century Present mill leat constructed on a route corresponding to the presumed line of the town ditch.
1711 Engraving shows buildings between the church and the millstream.
1795 Thomas Perkins of Towcester, miller, insured £500 on utensils and stock-in-trade on his Water Corn Mill in Towcester.
1831 Partnership between Sarah Perkins and James perkins dissolved on 12 April.
1837 Mill described as 'now in full-trade and the most eligibly situated for markets' advertised to be let by Mr Perkins.
1874 Joseph Lee Gallard, corn miller and oilcake merchant, Towcester Mills.
1881 Wheat damper installed at the mill indicating the imported wheat was being used at mill.
1883 Roller grinding introduced at mill.
1888 Mill being run by Easton Neston Estate.
1895 Water turbibe installed and at the same time the overshot wheel was repaired.
1911 On 14 September, the large mill owned by Sir Thomas Fermor Hesketh, Bart, caught fire and was completely gutted. The fire originated in the engine room.
c1912 Large brick multi-storey extension added.
1920 Mill operated by Towcester Flour Mills & Trading Co Ltd using only water power.
c1936 Semi-octagonal brick extension added.
? Milling ceased.
By 1983 occupied by Acorn Antiques, when most of the milling machinery had been removed, except the water turbine; the vertical shaft, with clutch, to the first floor; bevel gears to a layshaft projecting outside the mill with a pully for taking a drive from the external electric motor (and possibly the steam engine earlier).
1995 Planning application submitted on behalf of Phoenix VLSI Consultants Ltd to alter mill.
1996 Phoenix VLSI Consultants Ltd moved into the mill following minor alterations.
1997 Turbibe functioning again.

{4} Domesday records a mill within the Manor. Baker records that the mill was granted to the Knights Templar by the Earl of Hertford, who died in 1173. Inquisition Post-Mortem of 1551 refers to the Church Mill (which is presumably distinct from the Lords (Templars) Mill).

<1> Taylor J.; Foard G.; Laughton J.; Steadman S.; Ballinger J., 2002, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Towcester, 3.1.2.1 (unchecked) (Report). SNN103132.

<2> Woodfield P., 1992, Towcester Retail Development: Historic Landscape Assessment, (checked) (Full Report). SNN46827.

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

<4> COTSWOLD ARCHAEOLOGICAL TRUST, 1992, Towcester Retail Development, Northamptonshire, Stage 1: Archaeological Assessment, p.6 (checked) (Draft). SNN70046.

<5> Northamptonshire Industrial Archaeology Group, 1996-2013, Northamptonshire Industrial Archaeology Group Newsletter, Issue 126 (unchecked) (Newsletter). SNN55360.

Record last edited

Oct 21 2020 4:04PM