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Summary

Chardstock or Town Mill is thought to date from the 17th or 18th century but the site may be that of the mills mentioned in Domesday Book. The mill originally had two waterwheels each driving a single pair of stones. These were replaced by a single waterwheel which was sold for scrap in 1947. The internal machinery is intact and its unusual arrangement is of national significance.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1098586: WATER MILL ADJOINING WEST NORTH WEST OF THE MILL HOUSE

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: ST30SW/68
• Old Listed Building Ref (II)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• WATERMILL (Unknown date)

Full description

Department of Environment, 1984, 62: Part of East Devon, 36 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV326854.

Water mill adjoining west-north-west of the mill house, Mill Hill. Circa 18C. Cob and stone rubble. Steeply pitched corrugated iron roof.

English Heritage, 1984, Chardstock, LBS No 87795 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV322469.

Contains wooden mill machinery, but the water wheel is missing.

Bodman, M., 1998, Water-Powered Sites in Devon, 2 (Report - non-specific). SDV305931.

Listed as 'Town' or 'Chardstock' Mill on the River Kit, a tributary of the River Axe. Other details: No 32.

Fisher, J., 1999, East Devon Conservation Area Appraisals: Chardstock, 3 (Report - non-specific). SDV346476.

The mill building (outside the conservation area), although dilapidated, still contains much of the original machinery, however the wheel has gone and the mill race is no longer capable of use.

Bodman, M., 2003, Watermills and Other Water-Powered Sites in Devon, 8-9 (Report - Interim). SDV325576.

'Chardstock' or 'Town Mill' mentioned in early 17C. William Leat was the miller in early 19C. In 1817 Chardstock flour & grist mills consisted of a dwelling house, bake-house, mill & mill house with two pairs of stones. Three phases of development were described in 1999. In the late medieval/post medieval period there were two wheels each driving a single pair of stones. In the 17C - 18C the two wheels were replaced bya single wheel with two pairs of stones. In the late 18C the mill was enlarged & an upright shaft was introduced. The survival of 'primitive' gear at the mill, although with iron components, is of national significance. Other details: Draft.

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

Although the exact locations of the two mills recorded at Chardstock in Domesday Book are unknown, Town or Chardstock Mill must be a prime candidate. The earliest record of the mill, however, is in 1598. The mill formerly had two waterwheels, each driving a single pair of stones. These were replaced by a single, larger, more powerful mill in perhaps the later 17th or 18th century, which drove two pairs of stones through short layshafts taken off each side of the pitwheel with large, lantern pinion gears. Subsequently, an upright shaft driven off the top of the pitwheel was added with a crownwheel to drive ancillary machinery and the sack hoist. The mill worked until the turn of the 20th century and the waterhweel was sold for scrap in 1947.

Carter, R. + M., 2005, Untitled Source (Correspondence). SDV322465.

R Abbott at Town mills in Chardstock had found early medieval pottery at the site & in 2005 a green glass bottle seal of 40mm diameter was recovered. The seal is inscribed 'Chardstock' with the initials 'W.L' which probably related to one of the William Leats. William Leat senior died c1780 & William Leat junior lived from 1751 - 1804. Other details: Email + photo.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds

• FDV400 - POT (Early Medieval - 1066 AD to 1399 AD)
• FDV401 - SEAL (XVIII to XXI - 1751 AD to 2009 AD)

Associated Events

• EDV2048 - Unnamed Event
• EDV2049 - Unnamed Event

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