Cresswell Corn Mill

Cadw's description

Location

At S side of Cresswell River, about 150 m upstream from Cresswell Bridge. The siting of the mill is unusual, as the Cresswell River adjacent to it is tidal. The mill stands at a raised level and is served by a long leat.

History

There was a water corn mill called Cresswell Mill in Jeffreyston Parish in existence in 1631, within the Lawrenny Estate. Another reference to a water corn mill in the same estate archives is in deeds dated 1762 (as "Criswill Mill"). The mill site and watercourses are therefore of the early C17 or earlier, but the mill as it now survives above ground appears to be C19. It is accompanied by an earlier miller's house at its the W side.

Exterior

Corn mill of two storeys and loft, approximately 10 m by 6 m, built of uncoursed local sandstone rubble masonry. Low-pitched slate roof hipped at N and S ends with tile ridge and hip-cover. Cart entrance in the S side, concealed by a later lean-to greenhouse; the pedestrian entrance is a ledged and boarded door at the 1st floor level reached from high ground to the E side. The building is much overgrown. The water wheel is at the N end of the building; parts are said to survive but it is inaccessible.

Interior

The sack room is the mill loft, with belt-driven pulley on a supporting frame for hoisting. Chutes to mill stones beneath. The roof construction is tied common rafters.

The first floor is the milling floor: three complete pairs of stones in their hexagonal wooden pans. Ladder-staircases to above and below at E side of room.

The mill machinery survives at ground level, though mostly inaccessible, with a cast-iron spur wheel on a large octagonal vertical shaft driving three disengagable wooden-toothed stone-nut pinions. The main vertical shaft pivots in the underside of the milling floor. The axle from the water-wheel and the pit-wheel and wallower are believed to survive but are not accessible or visible.

Reason for designation

Listed as a small early C19 village corn mill in a fair state of completeness with accompanying miller's house.