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Summary

Former woollen mill built in the late 18th-early 19th century, one of at least seven mills powered by the Harbourne River.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1108240: THE MILLS

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX75NE/24
• Old Listed Building Ref (II)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• WOOLLEN MILL (Built, XVIII to XIX - 1701 AD to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV148.

Shown as 'woollen factory' on os 6" 1906, and as 'factory' os 6" 1963 (os).

Untitled Source (Report - Survey). SDV149037.

Vis=woollen mill, later used as a corn and starch manufactory, now occupied by agricultural merchants. Circa late c18 or early c19, reputedly 1789. Slate rubble. Slate hung on s side except for ground storey. Asbestos slate roof, gabled at w end and hipped at se end. Slate hung end and axial stacks and rendered lateral stack.

Untitled Source (Report - Survey). SDV149038.

Vis=plan: long rectangular range with shorter wing at w end at obtuse angle. At the e end of, and integral with, the longer e range, is the office and manager's house. The shorter w range has open floors with loading doors to each floor. The top floor was completely open from end to end continuing without partitions over the manager's accommodation and office. Axial stack to house and office, lateral stack to front of main range and gable end stack at w end.

Untitled Source (Report - Survey). SDV149039.

Vis=exterior: 3 storeys at e end, 4 storeys at w end, but roof the same height. Asymmetrical approximately 8-window range. Some old casements with glazing bars, some old windows with lapped glass panes. All the windows to the e end of n front replaced with c20 casements, except for ground floor right which is an early to mid c19 french window with glazing bars and margin panes. The left hand range has wide loading doors on each floor with hoist above. Doorway on e end with semi-circular fanlight, and round-headed window to left, both with radial glazing bars.

Untitled Source (Report - Survey). SDV149040.

Vis=windows on the outer n side have segmental brick arches, those to w have iron bars but are now clad in corrugated iron. Most of the windows to e are c20 replacements.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV149043.

Osa=sx75ne14.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV149044.

Minchinton, w. /industrial archaeology in devon/(1976)19.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV149045.

Des=dcc/survey of watermills in devon/(1974)gazetteer.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV149046.

Doe/hhr:totnes rd/(1956)22.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV149047.

Pim, r. /kingsbridge history society recorder/9(1993)13/water power in the south hams/in smr.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV149048.

Doe/hhr: harberton/(26/4/1993)378.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV149049.

Des=bodman,m. /water-powered sites indevon/(1998)8,24/in smr.

Minchinton, W., Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV2310.

Harbertonford serge mill was among at least seven mills powered by the harbourne river.(minchinton).

DCC SURVEY, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV301639.

A woollen and grist mill with steel sluice and gates, 19th century (dcc survey).

Department of Environment, Untitled Source (Report - Survey). SDV326991.

Vis=est -/-/1956 (doe) early 19th century structure in rubble with hipped slate roof. Partly slate hung, stone stacks (doe).

Devon County Council, 1838-1848, Tithe Mosaic, approximately 1838-1848 (Cartographic). SDV349431.

Three large buildings are depicted on the Tithe Map. Recorded on the apportionment as Factory Yard (plot 1734).

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

Woollen Factory marked.

Ordnance Survey, 1904 - 1906, Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV325644.

Complex of buildings marked as Woollen Factory.

Bodman, M., 1998, Water-Powered Sites in Devon (Report - non-specific). SDV305931.

Bodman, M., 2003, Watermills and Other Water-Powered Sites in Devon, 89-90 (Report - Interim). SDV325576.

Advertised for sale in 1816 as a Woollen Mill called Harbertonford Factory and described as having been 'built within a very few years'. A subsequent advert of 1822 states that the factory was about 72 feet long and 30 feet wide and 7 storeys high, and driven by a 'powerful stream of water'. At that time the factory was used for spinning woollen yarn.

Exeter Archaeology, 2005, An Archaeological Survey of Weirs in the River Dart Catchment. Draft Report, Appendix 1: Ex. Arch. No. 7, 10 (Report - Survey). SDV356906.

Ex. Arch. No. 7, 10. Watercourse: Harbourne River.
Woollen Mill dated variously to the early 19th century or as early as 1789. It continued in use until the 20th century.

Ordnance Survey, 2014, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV355681.

The building alongside the road has now been house-converted (this is the building that is listed). The large adjacent building is marked as a depot and, according to the listing description has been reduced in height. This is probably, therefore, the 7 storey building referred to in the 1822 sale advert.

English Heritage, 2014, National Heritage List for England (National Heritage List for England). SDV355683.

The Mills. Woollen mill, later used as a corn and starch manufactury (White's Directory 1850), now occupied by agricultural merchants. Circa late c18 or early C19, reputedly 1789. Slate rubble. Slate hung on south side except for ground storey. Asbestos slate roof, gabled at west end and hipped at south east end. Slate hung end and axial stacks and rendered lateral stack. Plan: Long rectangular range with shorter wing at west end at obtuse angle. At the east end of, and integral with, the longer east range, is the office and managers house. The shorter west range has open floors with loading doors to each floor. The top floor was completely open from end to end continuing without partitions over the manager's accommodation and office. Axial stack to house and office, lateral stack to front of main range and gable end stack at left (west) end. Exterior: 3 storeys at east end a 4 storeys at west end, but roof the same height. Asymmetrical approximately 8-window range. Some old casements with glazing bars, some old windows with lapped glass panes. All the windows to the right hand east end of north front replaced with C20 casements, except for ground floor right which is an early to mid C19 French window with glazing bars and margin panes. The left hand range has wide loading doors on each floor with hoist above. Doorway on east end with semi-circular fanlight, and round-headed window to left, both with radial glazing bars. Windows on the outer north side have segmental brick arches, those to right (west) have iron bars but are now clad in corrugated iron. Most of the windows to left (east) are C20 replacements. Interior: The roof has bolted softwood trusses. The ground storey of west end has floor beams supported on iron posts which are said to have come from later adjacent mill building, probably when that building was reduced in height. Office has early C19 moulded chimneypiece and plaster ceiling cornice.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6538 - Archaeological Survey of Weirs in the River Dart Catchment

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