Payford Mill

Details

PAUNTLEY

516/0/10016 REDMARLEY 18-SEP-07 PAYFORD MILL

II Mill, now house, sited on the River Leadon, which forms the parish boundary between Pauntley and Redmarley D'Abitot. Of C18 date, possibly earlier, with C19 and C20 alterations.

MATERIALS: The building is constructed of brick and coursed stone rubble, with a timber-framed end bay with brick noggin to right (north) with weather boarded gable end. Modern tiled roof.

PLAN: Four bay single-depth structure with undershot wheel to end gable (north).

EXTERIOR: The mill is located between the river to the east and a steep sandstone cliff to the west. It is of two storeys with attic. The front elevation is of painted brick with a single cell, single storey extension to the left, also of brick. The principal entrance is to the right. The fenestration is irregular mainly large segmental-arched casements and modern roof lights. To the right, the timber frame bay has smaller windows within the square panelling. The framing comprises 5 panels from sill to wall plate with painted brick noggin on a stone and brick plinth. The roof of this bay is of slightly lower height. The gable end clad in weather boarding with modern windows at apex above a pair of small wooden casements to first floor. The cast iron undershot wheel is probably C19 in date with C20 elm hub and newly (late 1990s) restored paddles. The rear elevation is of painted coursed stone rubble with brick upper storey. There is a large stone external stack with brick upper courses to the right and one dormer to the end bay. The south elevation is of brick, built adjacent to the cliff face, with one 2-light casement at the gable apex.

INTERIOR: The mill has been converted to residential use and no longer retains any machinery although some residual industrial features remain in the timber frame end bay: the wheel pit and bearing plates to the ground floor, taking-in hatch to stair wall at first floor and ceiling pulley at second floor. An open well staircase, of likely C20 date, has been inserted next to this bay. The two southern bays are open at ground floor with reset timbers in the north wall and ceiling and unadorned fireplaces. There is an open stair to the west wall leading to first floor and a further enclosed stair with plain handrail and no balusters at second floor. The first floor has large elm floorboards, the second floor retains original timber framed partitions.

SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: Around the mill there are further associated features including sluices and a footbridge. There is also a range of timber-framed outbuildings to the north of the mill. These are built against the cliff face and the northernmost structure houses a stone cider press.

HISTORY Although documentary sources indicate that a mill has been on this site since at least the C17 the building is predominately of probable C18 date with later alterations and is shown on Isaac Taylor's map of 1777. The western stone-built elevation would appear to be earliest part of the building. It was converted to paper milling in the later C19, but had reverted to corn milling by 1900, although for animal feed rather than flour. The mill underwent restoration during the 1930s but ceased production in 1947 following floods which damaged the weir and washed away part of the waterwheel.

REASONS FOR DESIGNATION DECISION: Payford Mill is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

* It is a substantially intact example of a C18 mill which despite some alteration retains much of its original fabric. * Although the gearing has been removed, the gear pit, pulleys and hatches to the mill remain, as well as the external undershot wheel, and clearly demonstrate process. * It employs square-panelled timber frame construction characteristic of its region. * Records indicate that there has been a mill on this site since the C17, if not earlier.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

502748

Legacy System:

LBS

End of official list entry

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