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Summary

Sidbury Mill, also known as Manor, Town or Coles Mill. There has been a mill here since at least 1281. Originally described as two mills, it latterly had one waterwheel which was replaced by a turbine in 1923. The mill worked until 1972 and then stood derelict until 1995. It has now been restored and the turbine has, in turn, been replaced by a waterwheel.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SY19SW/58

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• WATERMILL (Early Medieval to XXI - 1066 AD to 2009 AD (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1880s, Ordnance Survey (Cartographic). SDV848.

Marked as 'Sidbury Mills (Corn)' on 1880s 25" OS map.

Devon County Council, 1974, Survey of Watermills in Devon: Gazetteer (Report - Survey). SDV83967.

Other details: Visited c1973.

Phillips, M. C. + Wilson, R. E., 1978 - 1981, Water Mills in East Devon, 76-77 (Article in Serial). SDV102852.

Manor, Town or Coles Mill, Sidbury, a water-powered flour and grist mill, the site of which could possibly date back to the late 13th century when two mills in Sidbury are mentioned, one of which may have been a fulling mill. The mill building and house are L-shaped, built of stone and brick, and are roofed - the mill with iron, the house with slate. The water came from the river Sid via a 550m leat and drove two overshot wheels, as recorded in 1824, reduced to one by 1900. The traditional plant has been replaced, the wheel by turbine in 1923. The mill was in operation until 1970.

Bodman, M., 1998, Water-Powered Sites in Devon, 26 (Report - non-specific). SDV305931.

Other details: 4.

Bodman, M., 2003, Watermills and Other Water-Powered Sites in Devon, 204-5 (Report - Interim). SDV325576.

Documentary references from 1622 to 1838 plus summaries from Phillips and Wilson, Medley's 'A History of Sidbury' and Fox's 'The Millstone Makers of Medieval Dartmoor' in DCNQ 1994, 153-6. The present owners have been restoring the mill since they purchased it in 1995. The turbine has been replaced by an overshot waterwheel made by Bodley Bros, Exeter in 1879, which came from Dunscombe Farm, near Crediton. The machinery is belt driven. Other details: Draft Report.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003-2004, East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Archaeological Survey, Site No. 2425 (Archive - Survey). SDV351568.

Manor, Town or Coles Mill. Possible 13th century origin. Leat shown on modern map.
SMR.

Watts, S., 2004, Tour Notes compiled for the Mills Section, SPAB, Weekend Mill Tour, Devon, 2-5 September 2004, 2 (Un-published). SDV323972.

There has been a mill here since at least 1281 when a survey recorded two mills on the manor, one of which was a fulling mill. In 1368 the property is described as two corn mills. The mill was owned by the Lords of the Manor, the Dean and Chapter of Exeter from the Middle Ages until 1834 when it was sold to William Randall. The mills is described in the sale notice as having two overshot wheels working three pairs of stones. By 1886 there was only one wheel driving two pairs of stones, together with elevators, rolls and various sifting and cleaning machinery. The Coles family took over in 1888 and ran the mill until 1972, latterly grinding animal feed. The waterwheel was replaced by a Gilkes turbine in 1923, which also generated electricity for the village. The mill stood derelict until it was bought by the present owners in 1995. They have gradually returned the mill to working order. The turbine has been replaced by a waterwheel from Dunscombe Farm near Crediton. The ring gear on the wheel is new. Inside, there is a pair of belt-driven vertical stones, which were probably installed with the turbine, and a small, 19th century roller mill.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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