Description
A fine set of 18th century mill buildings, with much of its original mechanism intact. On the site of series of predecessors, going well back into the medieval period.
From NT VBS Yorkshire 1022 Building 1:
A large and diverse unit of buildings comprising a water-powered corn mill, the miller's house, additional mill, domestic and service accommodation and (formerly) some agricultural buildings. It is situated alongside the Hodge Beck on its E bank; the main axis runs E-W, with the principal openings to the S, but the house projects roughly at right angles on the S side, while the short range of agricultural buildings (now demolished) at the W end was deflected by the Beck onto an axis roughly ENE-WSW. The ground rises steeply at the E end of the building, and also on the N side, where the banked up mill pond is situated.
The various parts of the building all date from the second half of the 18th or first half of the 19th century - the greater part from the period 1817-1854, roughly corresponding with William Strickland's proprietorship. Even within this relatively limited timespan, however, the pattern of development is involved, and RCHMs analysis appears to be questionable at a number of points - particularly with regard to the house (formerly detached) and its incorporation with the larger mill unit.
Most of the gable and cross walls, and portions of the N wall of the 18th century mill survive in the present building, along with the wheel-pit (later extended). From these, and from the evidence of J Moon's 1820 plan, it is apparent that the 18th century mill was a three cell building of 1.5 stories, the wheelhouse occupying (as now) the W compartment, and the E compartment being stepped back slightly behind the S front of the remainder.
In 1817 William Strickland built W and E extensions at each of the mill's gables. The W extension is of 1.5 storeys and houses additional mill apparatus; its ridge and eaves were originally continuous with those of the 18th century mill. The large E extension consists of two storeys of domestic and service accommodation, integrated, at first-floor level, with the E compartment of the mill; this was itself raised to two storeys plus attic and converted to domestic use at about the same time; a single-storey dairy was added on the N side. Moon's plan shows the new two- storey front of the remodelled E compartment, but fails to indicate the change in roof level between it and the E extension.
The most difficult building to date is the miller's house. The porch is dated 1837, but this appears to be a later addition. The RCHM argue that the house is late 18th century, apparently on comparison of the lintels with those at Low South House, Bransdale (survey VBS 1003), also dated late 18th century. Yet Moon's Plan, which can be shown to be essentially accurate in its depiction of the E and W extensions, as well as buildings 31370 and 31373, shows a house which bears scant resemblance to the present building. The entrance in the N gable is placed at the wrong end, and instead of the polite two-window front of two full storeys with attics over. Moon depicts a building of 1.5 storeys with a single window front. The RCHM dismiss the discrepancy as accidental, but it seems implausible that the surveyor should have so carelessly belittled the principal building of the group. On this basis a date for the house between 1820 and 1837 must be conjectured.
In 1842 the W end and central compartments of the 18th century mill were rebuilt to a height of two full storeys plus a spacious attic. Portions of the original walls were retained (as mentioned) but the S front of the already altered E compartment may have been brought forward at the same time, to its present line continuing the N gable of the house. The RCHM assign this alteration to the 1820s on architectural evidence, but this could be accounted for by the re-use of existing stone (the sill to the downstairs window in particular looks re-used; it projects further L of the window than the one above, and may originate with the larger three-light window shown in this position by Moon). At all events, by 1842, against the usual trend to distance the miller's house from the mill, William Strickland's house was incorporated with the main mill range.
Two pigsties and a further building were also added at the W end of the building, offset slightly from the main E-W axis, at some stage between 1820 and 1854, when the first edition OS 6" sheet was surveyed. A few traces of the pigsties remain.
In the detailed descriptions below, building 30791 will be divided up as follows:
1) The Miller's house
2) the rebuilt (1842) mill, incorporating portions of the 18th century mill
3) the E compartment of the 18th century mill, remodelled and converted to domestic or service use; supplemented by the dairy
4) the E extension (1817)
5) the W extension (1817)
6) the remains of the demolished pigsties and adjacent building
1) The Miller's House
The principal domestic building of the mill complex is a single pile, double fronted house of two storeys plus attics, with a barrel-vaulted cellar at the N end, and a later porch, dated 1937, added on the E side. It is aligned roughly N-S, with a regular W-facing front of two windows per storey. At its NW corner the house is contiguous with the remodelled and converted E compartment of the mill, but there is no internal communication between them. Entrance in the N gable and via the porch on the E side are approached by a narrow paved yard along the E and N sides. Iron railings, the central portion now missing, enclose a small area against the W front where an old pear tree grows. A low masonry wall with saddle copings similar to that joining buildings 31372 and "5", appears in early photographs enclosing another area at the S gable; only footings of this wall now remain.
The date of the house, as already mentioned, is difficult to ascertain. The RCHM suggest a late 18th century date, but this appears to be contradicted by the building shown on Moon's 1820 map. Tooling on the lintels is reminiscent of Low South House, Bransdale, also dated late 18th century, but has affinities too with that on the voussoirs to the mill's arched entrances, dated 1842. Furthermore, the accommodation which the house comprises - including a parlour, but no obvious kitchen or dairy - would be more plausible once the kitchens in the E extension and the remodelled E compartment of the mill become available after 1817. Assuming Moon's map is accurate on this score, a date of between 1820 and 1837 seems likely.
The masonry is of coursed squared sandstone with good herringbone tooling, sometimes to a spine. Lintels on the W front, including to the cellar doorway, are convergently-tooled to resemble flat arches, and are separated by incised lines from integral herring- bone tooled end-pieces.
Projecting stone sills have fine vertical tooling. Attic windows in each gable have rectangular lintels and are without sills. The door lintel in the N gable is herringbone tooled with a margin; that to the E entrance is vertically tooled between horizontally tooled margins. The purlin roof is laid with fairly coarse slates in diminishing courses, with sandstone ridge and gable copings, and wedge shaped kneelers with integral copings. The chimney stack at the S gable has been dismantled, but formerly rose to a coved cap.
Windows to the W front are renewed horned vertical sashes with eight panes per sash. The two attic windows are boarded up, but appear from an early photograph to have been shuttered rather than glazed.
The house is built to a gable entry plan with an additional entry in the E side. There are two rooms on each floor, supplemented, on the ground floor, by the porch. The staircase (rising from the gable entrance) and some first floor joists have been removed, but some 19th century beaded joists survive. The attic floor was also on beaded joists, but has now been completely removed. There are cyma architraves to some doors, while that linking the two attics has a beaded architrave. A substantial stone fireplace surround survives in the ground floor S room: reeded jambs are topped by half-round "capitals" and a moulded shelf. The inserted cast-iron fireplace has ceramic side panels, and gives onto a small tiled hearth. The remainder of the floor is laid with well-preserved large square tiles. There is a small fireplace with a plain stone surround and brick infilling in the S first floor room. Most of the rooms have wall cupboards.
The added porch is built of squared coursed sandstone with herringbone tooling to a distinct spine. The roof is slated - on the S side with coarse slates in diminishing courses; on the N with finer renewed slates. Ridge and gable copings are of sandstone, with wedge-shaped kneelers. A chimney stack served a small fireplace inside, and formerly topped with a coved course, has been dismantled.
A large smooth-surfaced stone in the porch gable bears inscriptions in Hebrew, Greek and Latin, translated for the RCHM, as follows
Hebrew "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge" (Proverbs I vii)
Greek "Always rejoice. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks" (Thessalonians, V, xvi-xvii)
Latin "This plaque was set up by me, E.Strickland, B.A. King's College Cambridge, Vicar, Ingleby Greenhow, Cleveland, 1837" [Emmanual Strickland was son of William Strickland].
2) The rebuilt (1842) mill
In 1842, William Strickland rebuilt the 18th century mill to a new height of two full storeys plus a spacious attic over. The existing ground plan was broadly adhered to - indeed substantial sections of the 18th century rubble masonry were retained - but the front wall was advanced further S and completely rebuilt to line with the remodelled E compartment. At the same time new machinery was introduced, the 18th century wheel-pit was extended and a larger waterwheel was installed.
The 1842 work is executed to a high standard, particularly on the imposing S front. Masonry is of squared coursed sandstone, with fine herringbone tooling to a spine on the front wall and gables, and less evenly coursed stone to the rear wall. Windows to the front are horned vertical sashes (eight panes per sash) in beaded frames; projecting stone sills are stooled and have vertical tooling; the massive rectangular lintels have vertical tooling between horizontally tooled margins. The lintel to the first floor window is inscribed "Rebuilt 1842" in elegant seriffed characters, and is flanked by elaborate spreaders to iron ties forming the initials "WS" (for Walter Strickland). Two ground- level entrances on the S side and a first floor entrance on the N are round-headed, with arches composed of rusticated voissoirs. The voussoirs have tooled margins flanking convergent tooling parallel to each rusticated edge. The wheelhouse door is flush fitted in rebated reveals and has a single spoon-headed and three tulip head hinges. The remaining S entrance (the door is modern) gives onto a small lobby off which doors to the mill and the remodelled E compartment open. The N entrance is boarded up, as is a gable window lighting the first floor. A small vertical sash inserted upside down in the W gable lights the attic, which is additionally served by two shuttered vents with tulip-head hinges in both the N and S walls. A chimney stack with a coved top course is situated atop the W gable.
The roof is pantiled, with a sandstone ridge and gable copings and wedge-shaped kneelers. It is supported by a single collar- beam truss, positioned assymtrically over the cross-wall (which rises to just over first floor level) dividing the wheelhouse from the Mill proper. The principals are secured by bolted collar and by pads bolted to posts which run from either principal down to to a heavy tie-beam; this in turn is supported along its long span by stout posts rising from the corss-wall already mentioned. The principals carry three sets of tusk-tenoned purlins. Principals, most purlins, posts and pads, rafters and ridge have been renewed since RCHMs visit (1975) and sarking felt has been substituted for what was probably close set lathing. The collar, some chamfered purlins, the tie beam and its supporting posts appear original.
Two iron ties run through the mill N-S. At their S end the spreaders form the letters "WS", each stroke terminating in a curling flourish or flourishes. The N ends have plainer X-shaped spreaders. Four further ties streching between the gables have unostentatious spreaders in the form of an elongated "S". Formerly another tie ran N-S at first floor level; an elongated "S" shaped spreader appears on the S wall in an early photograph, but only the hole is detectable now.
The wheelhouse was not entered, but according to RCHMs report contains an overshot wheel with cast-iron buckets, approximately 4.9m by 1.4m, housed in a stone-faced pit. The pit is an extension of the 18th century pit, and shows signs of wear by the smaller 18th century wheel. A walkway edges the pit along its W side. Water from the mill pond was piped through the N wall. The wheel axle extends into the main ground floor compartment of the mill. Here it turns a pit wheel which, meshing with the cogs of the wallower, converts the drive to turn the main vertical shaft. This is of square-sectioned timber, and turns a large spur wheel, rising to a crown wheel high up on the first floor. A further hexago nal-section shaft rises to the second floor, where it operates a sack hoist suspended over trap doors in the floors below. The spur wheel drives three wooden-toothed stone nuts which are linked to three pairs of mill stones on the first floor, via subsiduary shafts, held in place by collars attached to stout posts. Of the three pairs of stones, one at least (diameter approximately 1.15m) dates from the 1842 refitting, having an iron collar cast with the circular inscription "GEORGE MARIS MAKER HULL 1842". The large grey stones (diameter 1.5m) are inscribed "NIS HS 1870"; the initials probably refer to members of the Strickland family. The smaller bluestones (diameter 1.05m) are uninscribed. Hoppers, tuns and chutes associated with the stones have all disappeared. The crown wheel on the first floor distributes power in two directions via subsiduary horizontal shafts: on the one hand to a belt-drive wheel, purpose unclear, close to the S window, on the other to a grain separator or "groat machine" in the NE corner. One of the chutes through which the separated grain dropped down to the ground floor remains. Power from the water-wheel is also utilised to drive a grindstone situated outside the mill against the N wall, and to drive additional mill equipment in the W extension (q.v.)
The ground floor of the mill has a stone-flagged floor. Temporary access to the first floor is provided by a well-fashioned balustrade, which, however, is showing signs of deterioration owing to this use. A modern staircase serves the attic. Among the contents of the mill is a robust wooden and cast-iron trolley, incorporating a winch, used to move sacks of grain of flour.
3. The remodelled E compartment of the mill
This, the former E end of the 18th century mill, is now sandwiched between the 1842 mill and the 1817 E extension, with both of which it lines along its N wall. Originally stepped back from the S front of the 18th century mill, and detached from the miller's house, it has been remodelled in such a way that its S front now continues the line of the N gable of the house, meeting the advanced S front of the 1842 mill at a slight angle. As it now stands it is of two stroeys with an attic over, and consists of a single large room to each floor. A single-storey dairy projects on the N side.
The precise sequence of development is diffiuclt to determine. The 18th century building was probably of a single storey only - ie lower than the remainder of the mill which was of 1.5 storeys; this would explain the 18th century gable copings still visible in the E gable of the mill. The RCHM assume a single remodelling, which they assign, on architectural evidence, to the 1820s. The evidence of Moon's 1820 plan is somewhat confused, but it shows unequivically a two- storey single window front, with a larger three light ground level window and a smaller two-light upper window level, the whole being stepped back still behind the 18th century mill, lining instead with the S front of the E extension; it is not attached to the miller's house. If this is accurate, it would indicate not one but two remodellings, the first (by 1820) raising it by two storeys, the second extending it S to meet the house, possibly reusing stone from the S front of the earlier remodelling. (footnote: the windows to the S front are now of equal size, but the sill to the ground floor window projects further L than that above, suggesting that it may have been re-used from the larger opening shown by Moon). This must have been completed by 1842, since the S front of the rebuilt mill is partly built onto it. The added dairy is not shown on Moon's plan, but was built by the time of the OS 6" 1854.
18th century masonry retained in the E, W and N walls is of roughly sqaured and coursed sandstone rubble. Masonry from the remodelling(s) is of finer coursed squared sandstone, with herringbone tooling to the front and sides (clearly visible from inside the mill) and coarser herringbone and diagonal tooling to the rear. The roof is slated in regular courses, with sandstone ridge and gable copings and wedge-shaped kneelers. The short S wall rises to a parapet with copings, behind which a gutter is concealed. A chimney stack, collapsed at the time of RCHMs visit, has been re-erected at the E gable, and has a coved top course. Rectangular lintels to the windows in the S front are vertically tooled with horizontally tooled margins; projecting stone sills are stooled and have vertical tooling; windows are horned vertical sahes, eight panes per sash, as on the mill and the house. A small unglazed opening in the E gable lights the attic, and has a notched lintel. The N wall has a small horned vertical sash (two panes per sash) lighting the first floor; the sill is as on the S front.
Entrances are in the S ends of both the E and the W walls, the E giving onto the narrow yard (formerly sheltered by a porch) between the house and the E extension, the W onto the lobby shared with the main mill entrance. Remodelling was accompanied by the conversion of the E compartment to domestic use, with a ground floor kitchen and first floor bedroom; there is no access, however, from one to the other, the bedroom being reached from the adjacent first floor room in the E extension. The attic can be reached from the attic floor of the mill via a small opening with a stolled flush sill, formerly a window. A doorway from the kitchen to the mill has been blocked, presumably when the E compartment was adapted to domestic use. There is a further door in the N wall communicating with the dairy. The kitchen contains a massive, simply moulded stone fireplace surround, similar to that at Cornfield House (VBS 1005) and a cast iron range by H Carter, Kirby(moorside) as at Cowl House (VBS 1004). A wall cupboard R of the range has a beaded architrave, and there are exposed beaded joists. The first floor room was not entered, but the RCHM reports the ceiling removed and the roof carried by chamfered purlins.
The dairy, roughly contemporary with the remodelling(s), is built of squared coursed sandstone with herringbone tooling. The roof is slated in regular courses, with sandstone ridge and gable copings and square notched kneelers. The junction with the E compartment has been sealed with a metallic foil. There is a small horned vertical sash in the W wall, and an adjacent stone bears the small inscription "DAIRY". Entrance is via an inserted doorway in the 18th century N wall of the E compartment. The furniture consists of two large slab stone shelves, arranged to catch the light of the window.
4) The 1817 E extension
In 1817 William Strickland built this extension on rising ground against the E gable of the C18 mill: the lintel over the W door has a reserved portion bearing the three line inscription, in bold seriffed characters, "W.S. A.D. 1817 | REMEMBER THY | END:". The building is of two storeys, with the upper level extending into the roof space; it is probable that the mill's E compartment was raised to two storeys at the same time. Domestic and service accomodation consists of two roughly equal rooms at each level; since the W and E ends do not appear to have communicated originally, it seems likely that the W end served domestic purposes, with a ground floor kitchen and probably a bedroom over, while the E end (which must always have been prone to damp, being set into rising ground) was probably devoted to storage. When the RCHM visited in 1975 the building was unroofed and ruinous. It has since been rebuilt, but the S front has, in the course of this, been remodelled. The E extension was not entered.
Construction is of squared coursed herringbone-tooled sandstone, with similarly-tooled rectangular lintels and flush sills. The roof has been reinstated since 1975 with pantiles, sandstone ridge and gable copings and wedge-shaped kneelers to the E gable. A central ridge-mounted chimney is topped by a projecting square course. A round window to the E first floor room has been inserted since 1975 in the E gable, possibly replacing a pitching eye or taking-in hole; it imitates the round window to the cart shed in building 31370, but the surrounding voissoirs have, unfortunately, been wrongly cut, and have only been made good with a great deal of mortar. Other windows are horned vertical sashes, of two panes per sash, except for the ground floor S window to the W end, which has a top sash of four and a bottom sash of eight panes. Formerly both ends had a ground level entrance to the S side, but in the course of restoration the E entrance was blocked; presumably an internal communicating door (not seen) as been inserted instead. Moon's plan of 1820 shows a window lighting the first floor of the W end of similar size to that lighting the ground floor, and this is confirmed by an early photograph; the present window in this position is one of the small vertical sashs with just two panes per sash.
The interior could not be inspected. The RCHM report a fireplace in the kitchen (ground floor W end) with a stone surround and moulded seats and corbels; the lintel was missing. Two wall cupboards flank the fireplace. A staircase rises to the bedroom over, now equipped with bunk beds. Communication with the first floor bedroom of the remodelled E compartment of the mill is via this room. No features of note were recorded by the RCHM in the E end.
5) The 1817 W extension
Built abutting the 18th century mill prior to its remodelling, the W extension is contemporary with the E extension. The gable window to the loft has a lintel faintly inscribed "W.S. | 1817". The building is depicted accurately on Moon's 1820 plan, prepared three years after its building, when the eaves and roof were continuous with those of the mill. It is a single-cell building of 1.5 storeys. It was not possible to enter, but the interior could be seen through a doorway communicating between loft level and the first floor of the mill. The loft floor has been removed. The W extension was built to house additional mill machinery, some of which remains, buried in the debris of a collapsed platform.
Construction is of good squared coursed sandstone with herringbone tooling to the S front and W gable. Door and E window, both in the S front, have large quoins to the reveals with herringbone tooling inside a tooled margin. Lintels to both E and W windows are similarly tooled, but that to the door is smooth and appears to have been renewed. One of the quoins to the door's L reveal has also apparently been renewed, but in this case the appropriate tooling has been reproduced. The W window has a plain projecting sill; that to the E window is stooled and has herringbone tooling. The gable window to the loft has a herringbone-tooled lintel. The SW corner of the building is slightly chamfered with a coved head, to facilitate access to the pigsties formerly abutting the W gable. Two iron tie-bars at loft-floor level terminate at the S front in crude horizontal spreaders.
The purlin roof is pantiled with sandstone ridge and gable copings (the latter vertically tooled) and square notched kneelers at the W gable. The roof timbers have been renewed. A chimney stack at the W gable has been dismantled. A large stone trough stands in the angle formed by the S front and the W gable of the Mill.
The S front contains three openings besides the door. The ground floor W window has a horned vertical sash, with four and eight panes to each sash; the E window is boarded up, as is the gable window and as are two formerly shuttered vents to the loft in the N and S walls.
Internal features noted include a fireplace in the W gable, retaining a single herringbone tooled side piece from a former stone surround. To the R are the remains of a large drying oven. Other features reported by the RCHM - further mill machinery riven by the 1842 wheel, comprising an oatmeal mill and sifter, as well as a boiler, all at the E end of the building - could not be verified owing to the collapse of the platform on which the millstones were mounted. Only the stone themselves were visible amungst the debris. According to the RCHM a flue in the SE corner serving the boiler originally rose to the eaves-mounted chimney shown on Moon's plan, but was diverted in 1842 to the main stack of the rebuilt mill's W gable.
6) Remains of the demolished pig sties and adjoining building.
The level site W of the present W extension was formerly occupied by a pair of pigsties and an addition building, purpose unknown, built at much the same time between Moon's 1820 plan and the OS 6" 1854. The pig sties were probably built to replace those demolished in the alterations to building 31373 in the same period. The pigsties were still standing at the time of the RCHMs visit in 1975 but the other building seems to have disappeared some time after the OS 25" 1953 was surveyed. The buildings stood at an angle to the main E-W axis of the mill, aligned roughly WNW-ESE, facing onto a stone-flagged area alongside Hodge Beck. The S front of the pigsties was stepped back behind that of the W extension, and the other building was stepped back further still; the N wall of the two was continuous, but again stepped back behind that of the W extension.
The RCHM report walls of squared coursed sandstone with coarse horizontal and diagonal tooling. Each sty had a door and a wall trough in the S wall, and there was in addition a communicating door inside. The two wall troughs remain in situ (described seperately under NTSMR 33719). The roof to the pigsties had already gone in 1975, but holes in the gable of the W extension and traces of mortar indicate the position of the purlins and the angle of the monopitch roof. The back wall of both the pigsties and the other building remains, still serving as a retaining wall for the mill-pond behind."
The VBS also contains a copy of the RCHME survey report, and some historical and social information [1]-[48].
Listed Grade II [50].
Property Survey information [51]:
A water-powered corn mill has stood in Bransdale since at least the 13th century, when it was part of Lady Joan Stuteville's estate and the earliest reference to a miller is in the 1301 Poll Tax when "Alan Molenarius" is lsited. The next reference is in the Parliamentary survey of 1569 when George Cowder, Bransdale miller, was paying 10s rent to the Earl of Rutland. In the early 17th century, the mill began a long association with the Petch family; a survey of 1620 refers to Henry Petch as the miller and in 1638 the mill was leased by his son, Robert Petch (all quoted in VBS). The family continued their tenancy throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, although it may have been rented out for short periods.
In 1811 the mill was part of William Strickland's estate which included Spout House, Lidmoor and Low Barn. He was responsible for a flurry of building activity here, which throughly modernised the mill and greatly enhanced its capacity (see VBS details above). A large scale plan of 1820 shows the mill complex [52].
Strickland dies in 1851 and his wife, Hannah Hugill, took over the business; the 1851 census notes that she, her five sons, four daughters, one granddaughter and three servants lived at the mill, which was then called "Hole House" [53]. Her sons worked the mill until 1923 when the estate was purchased by Lord Feversham [54]. In the 1920s and 30s, Harold and Lilian Peckitt were millers, but corn ceased to be ground after about 1917 due to competition from outside the dale. The mill itself continued to be tenanted until 1942, when a disastrous flood drove the last occupants out [55]. Other references [56]-[58].
Site visit 02/02/2000:
The mill has been extensively renovated with weather-tight windows and doors etc, and forms part of the bunkhouse.
Site visit 30/04/2000:
No change [59]-[63].
The North York Moors Heritage book contains a photo of the mill complex [49]. The RCHME book contains a ground floor plan and isometric reconstruction of the mill building, together with a oblique aerial view sketch of the whole complex [64].