Medway watermills

Last updated

Contents

Watermills of the River Medway
and its tributaries
BSicon uexKBHFa.svg
Source TQ 334 359
BSicon uexSTR.svg
51°06′25″N0°05′37″W / 51.10694°N 0.09361°W / 51.10694; -0.09361
BSicon uexWMILL R.svg
Fen Place Mill
BSicon uexKHSTa.svg
BSicon uexSTR.svg
West Hoathly Stream
BSicon uexWMILL L.svg
BSicon uexSTR.svg
Gravetye Foundry
BSicon uexSTRl.svg
BSicon uexABZg+r.svg
BSicon uexRESVGa.svg
Weir Wood Reservoir
BSicon uexWMILL R.svg
Mill Place Foundry
BSicon uexSTR.svg
BSicon uexKHSTa.svg
East Grinstead Stream
BSicon uexSTR.svg
BSicon uexWMILL L.svg
Brook Mill
BSicon uexSTR.svg
BSicon uexWMILL L.svg
Dunning's Mill
BSicon uexABZg+l.svg
BSicon uexSTRr.svg
BSicon uexWMILL R.svg
Brambletye Mill
BSicon uexWMILL R.svg
Tablehurst Mill
BSicon uexWMILL R.svg
Parrock Forge
BSicon uexWMILL R.svg
Hartfield Iron Mill
BSicon uexLSTR.svg
Gnome-searchtool.svg
BSicon uexWMILL R.svg
Ashurst Mill
BSicon uexLSTR.svg
Gnome-searchtool.svg
BSicon uexWMILL R.svg
Ashurst Furnace
BSicon uexWMILL R.svg
Chafford Mills
BSicon uexLSTR.svg
Gnome-searchtool.svg
BSicon uexWMILL R.svg
Pound Mill
BSicon uexLSTR.svg
Gnome-searchtool.svg
BSicon uexWMILL R.svg
Ensfield Mill
BSicon uENDExa.svg
Limit of navigation
BSicon ueABZgl.svg
BSicon uexSTR+r.svg
BSicon uSTR.svg
BSicon uexWMILL R.svg
Ramhurst Mill
BSicon uSTR.svg
BSicon uexWMILL R.svg
Powder Mills
BSicon ueABZg+l.svg
BSicon uexSTRr.svg
BSicon uABZgl.svg
BSicon uSTR+r.svg
BSicon uexSTR+l.svg
BSicon uWEIRl.svg
BSicon uSTR.svg
BSicon uexSTR.svg
BSicon uABZg+l.svg
BSicon uSTRr.svg
BSicon uexSTR.svg
BSicon uLock5.svg
Town Lock
BSicon uexSTR.svg
BSicon ueABZgl.svg
BSicon uexSTR+r.svg
BSicon uexSTR.svg
BSicon uSTR.svg
BSicon uexWMILL R.svg
Town Mill
BSicon uexSTR.svg
BSicon ueABZg+l.svg
BSicon uexSTRr.svg
BSicon uexSTRl.svg
BSicon ueABZg+r.svg
BSicon uLSTR.svg
Gnome-searchtool.svg
BSicon uLock5.svg
Eldridge Lock
BSicon uLock5.svg
Porters Lock
BSicon uLock5.svg
East Lock
BSicon uLSTR.svg
Gnome-searchtool.svg
BSicon uLock5.svg
Oak Weir Lock
BSicon uSTRl.svg
BSicon uSTR+r.svg
BSicon uSTRl.svg
BSicon uSTR+r.svg
BSicon ueABZgl.svg
BSicon uexSTR+r.svg
BSicon uSTR.svg
BSicon uexWMILL R.svg
Branbridges Mill
BSicon ueABZg+l.svg
BSicon uexSTRr.svg
BSicon uLSTR.svg
Gnome-searchtool.svg
BSicon uLock5.svg
Teston Lock
BSicon uLock5.svg
Farleigh Lock
BSicon uLSTR.svg
Gnome-searchtool.svg
BSicon uWMILL R.svg
Friars Mill
BSicon uLSTR.svg
Gnome-searchtool.svg
BSicon uWMILL L.svg
Borstal Mill
BSicon uWMILL R.svg
Cuxton Mill
BSicon uWMILL R.svg
Priory Mill
BSicon uWMILL R.svg
Strood Tide Mill
BSicon ugFABZgl+l.svg
BSicon gSTRq+GRZ.svg
BSicon uWMILL R.svg
Chatham Tide Mill
BSicon uCONTgq.svg
BSicon uFABZgr+r.svg
The Swale
BSicon uCONTgq.svg
BSicon uFABZqlr.svg
BSicon uCONTfq.svg
Thames Estuary

The Medway and its tributaries and sub-tributaries have been used for over 1,150 years as a source of power. There are over two hundred sites where the use of water power is known. These uses included corn milling, fulling, paper making, iron smelting, pumping water, making gunpowder, vegetable oil extraction, and electricity generation. Today, there is just one watermill working for trade. Those that remain have mostly been converted. Such conversions include a garage, dwellings, restaurants, museums and a wedding venue. Some watermills are mere derelict shells, lower walls or lesser remains. Of the majority, there is nothing to be seen.

Watermills

The River Medway powered a number of watermills. From source to mouth they were:

Fen Place (Bishes) Mill, Worth

TQ 361 366 51°06′45″N0°03′17″W / 51.112421°N 0.054732°W / 51.112421; -0.054732 The mill building survives in part, incorporated into a dwelling and retaining the waterwheel. The site may have been a hammer mill, witnessed by Ironmasters Cottage Wing mentioned in recent property sale particulars. The mill was known as Bishes Mill in 1598 [1] John Awcock was the miller in 1841 and John Stanbridge was the miller in 1851, still there in 1867. The mill was then a corn mill. A [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

Mill Place Foundry, East Grinstead

Another gun foundry site. [1] [7]

Brambletye (Castle) Mill, Forest Row.

TQ 4168 3527 51°05′55″N0°01′26″E / 51.098721°N 0.023758°E / 51.098721; 0.023758 A Domesday site, the last mill building dated from 1866, replacing the previous building that had burnt down. It had a brick base with timber above. The wooden overshot waterwheel drove three pairs of millstones. Although the mill was working in 1945 it had been demolished by 1968. A [8]

Tablehurst Mill, Forest Row

TQ 450 352 51°05′52″N0°04′18″E / 51.097655°N 0.071779°E / 51.097655; 0.071779 This mill was a mainly sixteenth century building. It is most likely to be the "Tellhurst Mill" that J. M. W. Turner sketched c.1795. It had two overshot waterwheels in tandem, with all wooden machinery. The mill ceased working in 1925 and had been demolished by 1936. A [9]

Parrock Forge, Hartfield

TQ 458 357 51°06′07″N0°05′00″E / 51.101945°N 0.083399°E / 51.101945; 0.083399 This forge was active during the reign of Henry VIII, when it was making "gunstones of iron". His Majesty was in arrears with payments for munitions supplied, leading to financial trouble for the ironmaster in 1530. Robert Scorer was the lessee in 1513, when it was owned by William Warner, the forge was sold to William Saunders in 1547. In 1574 the forge was owned by Lord Buckhurst and worked by George Bullen. In 1595, the Crown Gunfounder, Thomas Johnson was involved in a dispute here. At the time the forge was owned by William Garway, and is last recorded in the ownership of John Garway in 1600. The dam is recorded as 70 metres (77 yd) long and up to 1.5 metres (4 ft 11 in) high, although there is some evidence that it could have been as much as 270 metres (300 yd) long. [10] [11] [12]

Hartfield Iron Mill

This forge was in existence in 1496, when its owner Thomas Wildgoose made his will. Its probable location was below Chartners Farm (square TQ4736). [11] [13]

Ashurst Mill

TQ 506 389 51°07′46″N0°09′12″E / 51.129461°N 0.153251°E / 51.129461; 0.153251 This mill was a corn mill. The last building was built c.1780. The mill was run for many years by the Everest & then the Caffyn families. John Everest was the Miller at the time of his death in 1790 when he was succeeded, in accordance with his will, by his eldest son Edward. The latter continued milling here until his death in 1831 when he left the mill, in his will, to his sons John & James. The Everests were still there at the time of the 1841 Census. Thomas Caffyn was the miller in 1851. New machinery was installed in 1887 at a cost of over £1,000. The mill was being run by Thomas Caffyn (son of 1851 Thomas), when it burnt down in September 1930. The waterwheel was 16 feet (4.88 m) diameter by 7 feet 8 inches (2.34 m) wide. A [14] [15]

Ashurst Furnace

TQ 507 390 51°07′49″N0°09′17″E / 51.130334°N 0.154721°E / 51.130334; 0.154721 This furnace stood just downstream of Ashurst Mill. It was operating between 1574 and 1599. It was owned by someone by the name of Stace in 1574, Sir Walter Waller in 1588–90 (occupied by John Phillips) and in 1599 Thomas Browne sold cannon here. [12] [15] [16] [17]

Chafford Mills, Fordcombe

This was a paper mill. There were two mills here in the thirteenth century, separated by a ford that passed through the tail race of the Upper Mill. The Upper Mill was removed c.1300 and as a result the ford became deep and impassable. In 1303, Henry de Cobham built a bridge at his own cost to replace the ford. This was swept away by a storm in 1337 and Thomas de Cobham (his son), erected a footbridge in its place. The Sheriff proceeded against Thomas for not rebuilding the bridge in its original form, and the Court agreed with the Sheriff. The site was used at one time as a fulling mill. A picture of the mill c.1850 can be seen here. Paper from Chafford Mills was used to print postage stamps for Jamaica, The Transvaal and the Falkland Islands. The mill closed in 1913 and was demolished in 1930. It was latterly driven by a turbine. A [18] [19] [20] [21]

Pound Mill, Penshurst

This mill stood below Ford Place Farm. It was a corn mill powered by an overshot waterwheel. A [21]

Ensfield Mill

A long lost mill site. An agreement between Tonbridge Priory and the bishop of Rochester in 1353 mentions a mill at "Yenesfield" - the present day Ensfield Farm. A

Ramhurst Mill, Leigh

TQ 566 463 51°11′38″N0°14′31″E / 51.194°N 0.242°E / 51.194; 0.242 In the 1428 will of Sir Thomas Colepeper it is referred to as the mill of Greenerssh. The mill was marked on a map dated 1579. [22] The mill was marked as Crenhurst Mill on a map of 1769. [23] Ramshurst Mill was marked on the 1801 Ordnance Survey map, [24] but not on Greenwoods map dated 1821. [25] In 1851, Henry Morgan was a millwright living at Ramhurst Mills, Leigh. A [26] [27]

Powder Mills, Leigh (Tunbridge Gunpowder Works)

TQ 573 466 51°11′49″N0°15′08″E / 51.196853°N 0.252305°E / 51.196853; 0.252305 This was a gunpowder mill, established in 1811 [25] by John Children and William Burton of Tonbridge. William was the brother of Decimus Burton. The Powder Mills cost £30,000 to set up. Humphry Davy was also involved at the start, but he soon withdrew. The Children family sold out to the Burton at the end of 1812. William Ford Burton managing the mills. In the early 1820s the Burton family bought the land, which had been leased initially. The site was known as the Tunbridge Gunpowder Works. [22] In 1834, Thomas Wells of Powder Mills died and was buried at Penshurst. [28] [29] Three explosions were recorded in the years 1832-35, the last killing two people. [22] In 1837, there were four mills, each taking water from the same pond. The available head of water was some 13 feet (3.96 m), [30] and the waterwheels were breastshot. Another explosion occurred in 1845, without loss of life. William Burton died in 1859, and the mills were put up for sale. They were bought by Charles and Thomas Curtis for £10,000. An explosion on 6 July 1864 killed four people. The firm was called Curtis's and Harvey by 1874. In this year, the transport of gunpowder along the River Medway ceased owing to the inhabitants of Maidstone fearing for their safety from the passage of the barges along the river. In 1878, there was an explosion that killed a man. Steam power having been added by this date. The mills were reworked in 1885 when another explosion killed a man. Cordite was being produced by this time and the manufacture of gunpowder ceased by 1897. Curtis's and Harvey became a public company in 1898. [22] There was a tramway system around the site, probably introduced in 1885. The gauge was some 23 inches (580 mm). No locomotives were worked, all propulsion being by manual labour. An explosion in 1917 was caused by a lightning strike. After World War I, production was cut back, and Curtis's and Harveys had become part of Explosives Trade Ltd, which became Nobel Industries Ltd in 1920. Nobel Industries became part of Imperial Chemical Industries. Another explosion in 1927 killed several people. Production ceased in 1934, with the manufacturing of explosives being transferred to Ardeer in Scotland. Many of the buildings were burnt down. In 1942, the site was bought by T G East and Son, and developed as a small pharmaceutical works. In 1952, the site came into the ownership of Smith Kline and French, which later became Smith Kline Beecham and then Glaxo Smith Kline. The site is now used for pharmaceutical research and is still known as Powder Mills to this day. [22]

Town Mill, Tonbridge

TQ 596 467 51°11′50″N0°17′07″E / 51.197113°N 0.285244°E / 51.197113; 0.285244 An old corn mill site. The mill house survives along with a few walls of the mill, which had a breastshot waterwheel. A [21] In 2006 Tonbridge Civic Society gave an award to a new-build house that incorporated the mill remains. [31]

Branbridges Mill, East Peckham

TQ 673 485 51°12′40″N0°23′46″E / 51.211083°N 0.396201°E / 51.211083; 0.396201 This mill was known as "Brantbridge Mill" in 1538, being then valued at £2.6s.8d., owned by Sir Thomas Wyatt. In later years it was run by the Arnold family, who were previously at Bartley Mill, Frant. They took the mill in 1890, and the mill was marked as an oil mill on that year's 25" Ordnance Survey map. The waterwheel was replaced by a turbine, then that was replaced by a gas engine, in turn being replaced by an oil engine. Flour production ceased c.1917 and provender milling ceased c.1947. The mill was burnt down in the 1960s. A [32]

Hampstead Mill, Yalding

TQ 688 501 approx 51°13′30″N0°25′06″E / 51.225017°N 0.418411°E / 51.225017; 0.418411 One of two Domesday sites in Yalding, this was a paper mill in 1872. [33] The site was first used as a chemical works just before the First World War, and eventually became part of ICI. A [34] [35]

Friars Mill, Aylesford

This was a corn mill, serving Aylesford Friary. A [21]

Borstal Mill

An old tide mill site. The mill was the property of the See of Rochester in 1323, being rebuilt by Hamo de Hethe in that year. A

Cuxton Mill.

This was a tide mill. A

Priory Mill, Rochester

This was a tide mill. It stood at the end of George Lane near the town walls. The mill was demolished in the seventeenth century. A

Strood Tide Mill

TQ 740 690 51°23′36″N0°29′59″E / 51.393357°N 0.499625°E / 51.393357; 0.499625 The site of this mill is marked by Water Mill Wharf, north of the railway bridge. It belonged to Temple Strood Manor and in the mid-fourteenth century contained "two water mills under one roof". An engraving by S & N Buck dated 1721 shows the mill, and it appears in "A Distant View of Rochester and Chatham" by Joshua Farington, RA, in 1790. A sketch by W H Reynolds shows the mill in greater detail, and was done at a later date. The mill had two undershot waterwheels and was valued in the Church Rate Books of 1764 at £64.1s.1d. Latterly a steam engine was installed to enable the mill to work for longer periods. A The mill was demolished in 1858. Latterly it drove five pairs of millstones, one wheel worked two pairs of French Burr stones and one pair of Peak stones. The other wheel worked two pairs of French Burr stones, wheat cleaners, flour dressers and the sack hoist. [36]

Chatham Tide Mill

TQ 757 683 51°23′12″N0°31′25″E / 51.386546°N 0.523689°E / 51.386546; 0.523689 There was a tide mill marked on 1575/1610 maps of the Brook area of Chatham, where the Old Bourne River entered the Medway. By 1765, the Mill is not on the map and the river had been canalised, running alongside the road known as the Brook, and soon after it had been culverted. [37]

Watermills on the tributaries

The vast majority of the watermills were on the tributaries. The watermills on the tributaries feeding in above Penshurst are covered in the upper tributaries article, while those watermills on the tributaries feeding in between Penshurst and Yalding are covered in the middle tributaries article. Those on the tributaries feeding in below Yalding are covered in the lower tributaries article.

Sources

^A = Reid, Kenneth (1987). "Chapter 10". Watermills of the London Countryside, Vol 1. Cheddar, Somerset, UK: Charles Skilton Ltd. ISBN   0-284-39165-4.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Medway</span> River in South East England

The River Medway is a river in South East England. It rises in the High Weald, West Sussex and flows through Tonbridge, Maidstone and the Medway conurbation in Kent, before emptying into the Thames Estuary near Sheerness, a total distance of 70 miles (113 km). About 13 miles (21 km) of the river lies in East Sussex, with the remainder being in Kent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Cray</span> River

The River Cray is the largest tributary of the River Darent. It is the prime river of outer, south-east Greater London, rising in Priory Gardens, Orpington, where rainwater percolates through the chalk bedrock of the Downs to form a pond where the eroded ground elevation gives way to impermeable clay. Initially it flows true to form northwards, past industrial and residential St Mary Cray, through St Paul's Cray and through Foots Cray, where it enters the parkland Foots Cray Meadows, flowing under by Five Arches bridge. It then flows by restored Loring Hall (c.1760), home of the Lord Castlereagh who killed himself there in 1822. It continues through North Cray and Bexley. It neighbours a restored Gothic (architecture) cold plunge bath house, built around 1766 as part of Vale Mascal Estate. It is then joined by the River Shuttle and then continues through the parkland of Hall Place, which was built for John Champneys in 1540. The Cray turns eastward through Crayford and Barnes Cray to join the Darent in Dartford Creek. The Creek is a well-watered partly tidal inlet between Crayford Marshes and Dartford Marshes by a slight projection of land, Crayford Ness. The villages through which the Cray flows are collectively known as "The Crays".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Eden, Kent</span> River in Surrey and Kent, England

The River Eden is a tributary of the River Medway in south east England. It rises at the foot of the North Downs escarpment near Titsey in Surrey and runs initially southwards through Oxted before turning eastwards to enter Kent. After flowing through Edenbridge and passing Hever Castle, the Eden meets the Medway at Penshurst.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Darent</span> River in Kent, England

The Darent is a Kentish tributary of the River Thames and takes the waters of the River Cray as a tributary in the tidal portion of the Darent near Crayford. 'Darenth' is frequently found in the spelling of the river's name in older books and maps, Bartholomew's "Canal's and River of England" being one example. Bartholomew's Gazetteer (1954) demonstrates that Darent means "clear water", a result of it springing from and running through chalk. The purity of the water was a major factor in the development of paper and pharmaceuticals in the area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wealden iron industry</span>

The Wealden iron industry was located in the Weald of south-eastern England. It was formerly an important industry, producing a large proportion of the bar iron made in England in the 16th century and most British cannon until about 1770. Ironmaking in the Weald used ironstone from various clay beds, and was fuelled by charcoal made from trees in the heavily wooded landscape. The industry in the Weald declined when ironmaking began to be fuelled by coke made from coal, which does not occur accessibly in the area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rivers of Kent</span>

Four major rivers drain the county of Kent, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hundred of Ruxley</span> Land division in Kent, England

Ruxley was an ancient hundred, a land division in the north west of the county of Kent, England. Its area has been mostly absorbed by the growth of London; with its name currently referring to the Ruxley district. Its former area now corresponds to a majority of the London Borough of Bromley, a large part of the London Borough of Bexley and a small part of the Kent District of Sevenoaks. The hundred was within the Lathe of Sutton-at-Hone, in the west division of Kent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Bourne, Kent</span> River in Kent, England

The River Bourne rises in the parish of Ightham, Kent and flows in a generally south easterly direction through the parishes of Borough Green, Platt, Plaxtol, West Peckham, Hadlow, and East Peckham where it joins the River Medway. In the 18th century the river was known as the Busty or Buster, the Shode or Sheet, but is not known by these names nowadays. A bourne is a type of stream, while shode means a branch of a river.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Loose Stream</span> Stream in Kent, England

The Loose Stream sometimes called the River Loose or Langley Stream is a tributary of the River Medway notable for the number of watermills that it powered in its short length. It rises in Langley, flows through Boughton Monchelsea, Loose and enters the Medway at Tovil. The river valley is deep sided, and there is much evidence of the paper and wool trades which once flourished here: the stream has been dammed in many places, resulting in many mill ponds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Len</span> River in Kent, England

The River Len is a river in Kent, England. It rises at a spring in Bluebell Woods to the southeast of the village centre of Lenham 0.6 miles (0.97 km) from the source of the River Great Stour; both rise on the Greensand Ridge. Its length is c10 miles (16 km). It enters the River Medway at Maidstone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wateringbury Stream</span> River

The Wateringbury stream is a tributary of the River Medway in Kent, England. It rises at Swanton, West Peckham parish, flows south east towards Mereworth and then flows in a generally easterly direction to join the River Medway at Wateringbury. It is some four miles (6 km) long and powered a number of watermills.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Teise</span> River

The River Teise is a tributary of the River Medway in Kent, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Beult</span> River in Kent, England

The River Beult is a tributary of the River Medway in South East England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Malling Stream</span> River in Kent, England

The East Malling Stream, known locally as "The Stream", rises at Well Street, East Malling, Kent, and flows in a generally easterly direction to join the River Medway at Mill Hall, Aylesford. It powered six watermills. The stream may have formerly been known as the Bradbourne, Bradbourne Lane in Ditton bearing witness to this name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Bewl</span> River in Sussex and Kent, England

The River Bewl is a tributary of the River Teise in Kent, England. Its headwaters are in the High Weald, in Sussex between Lamberhurst, Wadhurst and Flimwell. The valley is deeply incised into Tunbridge Wells red sandstone, with a base of alluvium on Wadhurst clay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stour watermills</span>

The River Stour has been used for centuries as a source of power. Many different processes were performed by the use of water power:- Corn milling, fulling, paper making and electricity generation. Many of the mills survive today as house conversions, with two of them still working commercially.

The Medway and its tributaries and sub-tributaries have been used for over 1,150 years as a source of power. There are over two hundred sites where the use of water power is known. These uses included corn milling, fulling, paper making, iron smelting, pumping water, making gunpowder, vegetable oil extraction, and electricity generation. Today, there is just one watermill working for trade. Those that remain have mostly been converted. Such conversions include a garage, dwellings, restaurants, museums and a wedding venue. Some watermills are mere derelict shells, lower walls or lesser remains. Of the majority, there is nothing to be seen. A large number of tributaries feed into the River Medway. The tributaries that powered watermills will be described in the order that they feed in. The mills are described in order from source to mouth. Left bank and right bank are referred to as though the reader is facing downstream. This article covers the tributaries that feed in above Penshurst.

The Medway and its tributaries and sub-tributaries have been used for over 1,150 years as a source of power. There are over two hundred sites where the use of water power is known. These uses included corn milling, fulling, paper making, iron smelting, pumping water, making gunpowder, vegetable oil extraction, and electricity generation. Today, there is just one watermill working for trade. Those that remain have mostly been converted. Such conversions include a garage, dwellings, restaurants, museums and a wedding venue. Some watermills are mere derelict shells, lower walls or lesser remains. Of the majority, there is nothing to be seen. A large number of tributaries feed into the River Medway. The tributaries that powered watermills will be described in the order that they feed in. The mills are described in order from source to mouth. Left bank and right bank are referred to as though the reader is facing downstream. This article covers the watermills on the tributaries that feed in below Penshurst and above Yalding.

The River Medway and its tributaries and sub-tributaries have been used for more than 1,150 years as a source of power. There are over two hundred sites where the use of water power is known. Many different processes were performed by the use of water power:- corn milling, fulling, paper making, iron smelting, pumping water, making gunpowder, vegetable-oil extraction, and electricity generation. Today, there is just one watermill working for trade. Those that remain have mostly been converted. Such conversions include a garage, dwellings, restaurants, museums and a wedding venue. Some watermills are mere derelict shells, lower walls or lesser remains. Of the majority, there is nothing to be seen. A large number of tributaries feed into the River Medway. The tributaries that powered watermills will be described in the order that they feed in. The mills are described in order from source to mouth. Left bank and right bank are referred to as though the reader is facing downstream. This article deals with the watermills on the tributaries that feed in below Yalding.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mills on the River Wey and its tributaries</span> Watermills on the Wey in England

Many watermills lined the banks of the River Wey, England, from the 17th century, due to the river's ability to provide a reliable, year-round flow of water. These mills chiefly ground wheat, often referred to as corn, for flour and oats for animal feed though many were used in the production of other goods such as paper, cloth, leather, wire and gunpowder. The river was home to more mills per mile than anywhere else in Great Britain. The mill situated at Coxes Lock near Addlestone, Surrey, is the largest. There are many mills on the river's principal tributaries, such as the Tillingbourne, the Ock and some mills on the Whitmore Vale stream, Cranleigh Waters and Hodge Brook. The last commercial mill on the Tillingbourne, Botting's Mill at Albury, closed in 1991. Headley Water Mill, on the Wey South branch is still in business. Town Mill, Guildford still has a water turbine driven generator producing electricity for the town.

References

Map all coordinates using: OpenStreetMap
  1. 1 2 The Weald
  2. Right Move
  3. Ashdown Rambling Club Archived 2005-01-16 at the Wayback Machine
  4. Kellys Directory Archived 2005-05-24 at the Wayback Machine entry for East Grinstead
  5. 1841 Census
  6. 1851 Census
  7. The Weald
  8. Sussex Mills Group
  9. Sussex Mills Group
  10. The Weald
  11. 1 2 The Weald
  12. 1 2 Wealden Iron Research Group enter name of forge in search box
  13. The Weald
  14. Roughwood
  15. 1 2 The Weald
  16. The Weald
  17. Iron Furnaces
  18. BAPH Archived 2007-10-22 at the Wayback Machine
  19. Easily Archived 2008-10-01 at the Wayback Machine
  20. Stamp Notes
  21. 1 2 3 4 Mills Archive Archived 2010-04-18 at the Wayback Machine
  22. 1 2 3 4 5 "The Powder Mill - Leigh: Historical Notes" (PDF). Leigh Historical Society. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 August 2011. Retrieved 10 June 2008.'(PDF)
  23. "Andrew, Drury and Herbert's Map, 1769". Leigh Historical Society. Archived from the original on 24 December 2012. Retrieved 10 June 2008.
  24. "1801 Ordnance Survey". Leigh Historical Society. Archived from the original on 24 December 2012. Retrieved 9 June 2008.
  25. 1 2 "Greenwoods Map of Kent, 1821". Leigh Historical Society. Archived from the original on 24 December 2012. Retrieved 9 June 2008.
  26. 1851 Census Archived 2007-12-21 at archive.today
  27. Colepepper
  28. Colepepper Will
  29. Rootsweb
  30. "Powdermills, 1837". Leigh Historical Society. Archived from the original on 24 December 2012. Retrieved 10 June 2008.
  31. "Civic Design Award for Tonbridge Mill". Tonbridge Civic Society. Retrieved 15 July 2008.
  32. "Mills Archive". Archived from the original on 14 July 2011. Retrieved 7 February 2008.
  33. 1872 1:10,560 Ordnance Survey map.
  34. Spartacus Educational Archived 2008-03-08 at the Wayback Machine
  35. Yalding Chronology
  36. Coles Finch, William (1925). In Kentish Pilgrim Land. London: C W Daniel. p. 269.
  37. "History of the Brook Pumping Station". Medway Industrial Archaeology Group. Archived from the original on 15 April 2009. Retrieved 7 May 2009.

Further reading