The West Berkshire Historic Environment Record (HER) is the primary index of the physical remains of past human activity in the unitary authority of West Berkshire Council. Limited elements of the West Berkshire HER are available online via the Heritage Gateway, therefore it is not suitable for use in desk-based studies associated with development, planning and land-use changes, and does not meet the requirements of paragraph 194 of the National Planning Policy Framework (2021: 56). Please read the important guidance on the use of the West Berkshire HER data. For these purposes and all other commercial enquiries, please contact the Archaeology team and complete our online HER enquiry form.

Summary

Watermill on the Holybrook, a tributary of the River Kennet, within a complex of historic buildings some of which are listed

Other Statuses and Cross-References

• Berkshire SMR No. (pre 2000): 05121.00.000
  

Monument Type(s):

• WATERMILL (Medieval to Victorian - 1066 AD to 1840 AD)

Full Description

J Kenneth Major visited the watermill as part of his Berkshire survey <1> and described it as having "modern mill buildings" <1>. However the Mill and mill house were formerly listed at Grade III prior to the 1980s review <5>; it would appear that only the separate Old Mill House to the east retained a listing. The mill was described as early 19th century, of brick with a slate roof, but much extended and modernised <5>; in the 21st century this is largely the property called the Old Granary. The house close to the mill was 18th century with a hipped old tile roof; this dwelling was called Calcot Mill.

Calcot Mill itself was once held by Reading Abbey, but after the Dissolution of the Monasteries came into royal possession. In 1545 it was granted to Sir Francis Englefield; in 1593 Queen Elizabeth granted Calcot Mill to Robert, Earl of Essex <8>. Gelling <9> notes the name of Calcott Mylne in 1596. Calcot's parish changed from Tilehurst to Theale, and then Holybrook in the later 20th century following extensive development of the land to the north of the mill. The Victoria County History of 1923 <6> noted that Calcot Mill was the only working mill in Theale parish.

From 1876 to 1928 Calcot Mill was connected to the Great Western Railway by a siding. Horses were still used to pull the loaded trucks to the mill in the early 20th century <3>.

Reading Museum holds a photograph of the mill taken in 1953 for the Berkshire Chronicle <11>. Reading Libraries also have a collection of images, including a 1920s postcard <12> that illustrates the separate elements of the block by the Holy Brook: the three storey mill itself across the river with its upper storey weatherboarded; the three storey brick building attached at right angles to this on the north bank, probably used for storage; and the two storey house attached at right angles on the south bank, which would have provided accommodation for the miller. One photograph was taken in November 1966 when there was a fire at the mill <13>; the roof of the building that lies directly across the river has collapsed and its timbers are exposed.

A planning application in 1977 <14> sought to demolish a reinforced concrete grain silo, which may have been constructed after the fire; this proposal was rejected but in the later 20th century the building on the site of the mill, and described as a barn, was replaced with a four bedroom extension to the old granary <15>. The design proposed to incorporate details and materials from other mill buildings including painted timber shiplap boarding. The resulting modern attached house was called Brookbarn.

The Mills Archive contains images by a turbine engineer of the old wheel and turbine site at Calcot Mill, taken in 1999 <16>.

Sources and further reading

Related Monuments

Associated Excavations and Fieldwork

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.