Survey Data

Reg No

12317005


Rating

Regional


Categories of Special Interest

Architectural


Original Use

Mill (water)


In Use As

Shop/retail outlet


Date

1765 - 1785


Coordinates

258540, 141577


Date Recorded

18/05/2004


Date Updated

--/--/--


Description

Flour mill complex, c.1775, including : (i) Detached fourteen-bay five-storey flour mill on an U-shaped plan probably incorporating fabric of earlier mill, 1690, on site with four-bay four-storey over basement return to east having three-bay three-storey wing to north. In use, 1949. Now in alternative commercial use. Hipped slate roofs (gablet to wing to north) with clay ridge tiles, rendered chimney stacks, cut-limestone stage to crossing on a square plan (having hipped slate roof with clay ridge tiles), rooflights, slightly sproketed eaves, and cast-iron rainwater goods on rendered eaves having iron ties. Unpainted rendered, ruled and lined walls (painted to part of ground floor) with cast-iron tie bars. Camber-headed window openings to main block with square-headed window openings to remainder having no sills, concealed red brick dressings, and timber casement windows. Square-headed door opening with tongue-and-groove timber panelled double doors. Square-headed door opening to centre top floor to wing to north (now blocked-up with unpainted render over). Set in own grounds on bank of River Nore with rear (east) elevation overlooking road. (ii) Detached two-bay single-storey over base waterwheel house to north. Reroofed, c.1950. Now disused. Hipped roof with replacement corrugated-iron, c.1950, iron ridge tiles, and remains of cast-iron rainwater goods on rendered eaves. Unpainted rendered walls over random rubble stone construction. Openings not visible. Single segmental arch culvert over mill race with squared limestone voussoirs. (iii) Detached two-bay two-storey outbuilding to north. Part refenestrated, c.1975. Hipped slate roof with clay ridge tiles, and remains of cast-iron rainwater goods on rendered eaves. Unpainted rendered, ruled and lined walls. Square-headed window openings with no sills, and fixed-pane timber windows having replacement timber casement windows, c.1975, to ground floor with wrought iron bars. (iii) Gateway to north comprising pair of limestone ashlar piers with gates now missing, unpainted rendered flanking screen wall incorporating camber-headed door opening with cut-stone surround, and tongue-and-groove timber panelled door.

Appraisal

An extensive mill complex forming an important element of the mid to late eighteenth-century industrial legacy of Thomastown having historically supported much of the local agricultural economy: probably superseding an earlier range on site the present mill reputedly has origins in a complex established as one of three Pilsworth flour mills built by Dutch engineers in the late seventeenth century. Positioned overlooking the River Nore the solid form and massing of the composition together with the regular, almost monotonous pattern of the small-scale window openings all serve to produce a striking focal point in the landscape. Although now accommodating an alternative function the retention of the original composition qualities together with most of the early fabric maintains the character of the site.