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Summary

A woollen mill was established at the Holmes in about 1750, the precise location of which is unknown. The present mill was built in 1845. It closed in 1930.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1146911: WESTERNMOST WAREHOUSE AT WOOL GRADING CENTRE

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SS60SE49
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS60SE/46

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• WOOLLEN MILL (Built, XIX - 1845 AD to 1845 AD)

Full description

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

Map object based on this Source.

Ordnance Survey, 1906, 65NE (Cartographic). SDV335869.

Woollen Mill shown.

Hoskins, W. G., 1954, A New Survey of England: Devon, 490 (Monograph). SDV17562.

Williams, H. F. F., 1954, North Tawton: A Devon Market Town, 121-122 (Article in Serial). SDV224896.

North Tawton woollen mill, not precisely located. Established about 1750 by John Fulford of Crediton. Wool stores in linhay still in the garden. The Fulfords carried on the industry until 1842. Present mill built in 1845 by Gilbert Vicary and later sold to a Halifax firm. Closed down in 1930 when it was the last woollen mill operating in North Devon.

Ordnance Survey, 1964, SS60SE (Cartographic). SDV356543.

Warehouse shown.

Griffith, F. M., 1987, DAP/IN, 13-15 (Aerial Photograph). SDV54679.

Morgan, D., 1992, Devon and Cornwall Woollen Mill Site, Fore Street, North Tawton (Un-published). SDV347076.

Fulford-Williams states that the North Tawton Mill was established at the Holmes in about 1750. The wool was sorted in a linhay in the garden, and was given out for spinning in the cottages. The present mill was built in 1845. In 1888 it was sold to Messrs Shore of Halifax, who closed it in 1930, when it was the last wool mill at work in North Devon.
Plan of development between 1846 and 1929.

McCallum, D., Devon County Council, 1993, Application for the Removal of a Building from the Statutory Historic Buildings List - Woollen Mill, Fore Street, North Tawton (Correspondence). SDV347077.

The 1846 Tithe Map shows the mill in its current position. The 1888 Ordnance survey map shows a large amount of new development and the map of 1905 shows additional extensions. Since the closure of the mill the buildings have been used for the storage of wool until recently.
I would be strongly opposed to the de-listing of the main mill as it is a fairly rare and well preserved example of a mid-19th century industrial building, and would suggest that other buildings built in the second half of the 19th century immediately adjacent to the Listed Building are worthy of Listing in their own right. For example, the fireporrof building behind the Listed mill, which according to map evidence must have been built between 1888 and 1905, may be worthy of Listing as it appears to be a fairly unusual structure and new mill which appears to have been re-faced in locally made concrete blocks and render disguised to appear like concrete blocks sometime in the 20th century. There has been a building of approximately the same size as the existing building on the site since before 1846 and although there appears to be no evidence that this structure dates from that period, there may be the remnants of some of the earlier structure contained within the walls.

Gent, T. H., 1996, Archaeological Assessment of a Proposed Golf Course at the Hams, North Tawton, 11 (Report - Assessment). SDV319191.

Bodman, M., 1998, Water-Powered Sites in Devon, 36, 146 (Report - non-specific). SDV305931.

Exeter Archaeology, 2001, Archaeological Assessment of North Tawton Flood Defence Scheme, No. 11 (Report - Assessment). SDV319171.

The original mill was established at the 'Holmes' in about 1750 by John Fulford of Crediton. The precise location of which is unknown, although the name is shown further along Fore Street on the 1888 Ordnance Survey map. Gilbert Vicary bought the firm in 1842 and built the present mill in 1845. The three buildings shown on the Tithe Map of circa 1847 are described in the 1844 Apportionment as House and Garden (993), Factory Yard (994) and Garden (995). By 1888 the larger factory had been built to the north-east and the Ordnance Survey map also shows a gasometer and a smithy. The factory closed in 1930, after which it is named on Ordnance Survey maps as Wool Grading Centre or Warehouse. The westernmost warehouse appears to be that shown within plot 993 on the Tithe Map. The majority of the buildings on site date from the 19th century and many internal features associated with the mill buildings also survive. Considered to be of regional importance.

Posford Duvivier Environment, 2001, North Tawton Flood Defence Scheme. Environmental Appraisal, 20 (Report - Assessment). SDV356540.

A woollen mill of regional importance.

Hughes, S. + Parker, R. W., 2010, The Old Woollen Mill and Grading Centre, North Tawton Devon. Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Assessment and Historic Building Appraisal (Report - Assessment). SDV365620.

An archaeological assessment and historic buildings appraisal was undertaken of the old woollen mill and grading centre to inform an application for redevelopment of the site. The site is currently occupied by several derelict mill and factory buildings and is bisected by a leat. The site operated as a woollen mill from c.1750 to 1930, when it was converted to a warehousing.
The historic core of the woollen mill complex comprises two adjoining structures (Buildings A and B) on the south-east side of the yard. Probably late 18th or early 19th century in date. They are substantial, multi-storey structures, typical of mill or factory buildings of the time, built of random rubble stone with brick dressings. Building A was originally four storey, but the interior is now only three storey with the second floor structure an insertion in place of the original second and third floors. Building B is an extension to the south-east of Building A with a similar form and roofline. However, it has higher ground and first floor levels and was originally designed as a three, rather than four storey structure.
Another building (C) lies at right angles to these, enclosing the south-east end of the yard and linked to Building B by a covered bridge. It has a double roof, the valley supported by a row of columns along the central axis of each floor. It is probably 19th century in date but underwent extensive refurbishment or rebuilding in the early 20th century. The elevations are covered with a cement render with raised pointing, giving the impression of concrete blockwork.
Adjoining Building C to the south-west is a large, single storey, late 19th century or early 20th century structure (Building D). The interior is divided into three aisles by rows of cast iron columns. The roof is multi-pitched, supported by cast iron trusses. The linking structure (Building E) between is of uncertain date and function.
At the north-east of Building C is the wheelhouse (Building F). This spans the leat running through the site, with a mill pond to the south. It contains the remains of machinery including a cog wheel in one of the two channels that run through the building and possibly the remains of a turbine in the other.
Building A/B is a Grade II listed structure and Buildings C-F also have architectural and historic merit.
On the north-west side of the leat is a large complex of single storey structures [Buildings G-L] which are typical of later 19th – earlier 20th century industrial buildings and which have been identified as weaving sheds. They cover a large floor area with cast iron columns supporting multi-pitched roofs [northlight building(s)], the northern slope being glazed to provide light to the interior. Attached are three 20th century additions (Buildings M, N, R). Close to the entrance is a small group of three 19th-early 20th century structures (Buildings O-Q which were possibly used for storage. These buildings are due to be demolished as part of the redevelopment of the site. It is possible that buried archaeological remains survive beneath the current buildings.
See report for details of individual buildings.

Ordnance Survey, 2011, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV346129.

Map object based on this Source.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8949 - Archaeological assessment and historic buildings appraisal of North Tawton Woollen Mill

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