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Summary

Early 19th century tall stone rubble building with granite quoins with an overshot wheel dating to 1882. The mill worked into the 1960s, latterly producing fertilizer and powered by electricity. The milling machinery had been mostly removed by the 1970s.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1105861: TOWN MILL

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX59SE/41
• Old Listed Building Ref (II): 93370

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• WATERMILL (Built, XIX - 1801 AD to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

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

'Town Mill (Corn)' shown.

Harris, H., 1968, Industrial Archaeology of Dartmoor, 212 (Monograph). SDV149229.

A mill paying 6s 8d a year is mentioned in Domesday. Probably this was one of two mills on the East Okement, both of which were manorial, one being the double mill known as Town Mills, and the other in North Street. Work ceased at town mills in about 1956; there is a large stone mill building there with the wheel and launder in position beside it.

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

Site visited during 1973: 19th century or earlier cornmill. Wheel still exists. Cast iron, 12 feet in diameter. Possibly some machinery.

Timms, S. C., 1976, The Devon Urban Survey, 1976. First Draft, 155 (Report - Survey). SDV341346.

Mention of Town Mill.

Booker, F., 1978, Town Mill, Okehampton (Ground Photograph). SDV361595.

Black and white photos of Town Mill. The mill worked into the 1960s, latterly producting fertilizer. The overshot wheel was used until the 1950s, when the mill was converted to electric power. The waterwheel was restored as a Jubilee project in 1977 but had been subsequently vandalised.
An inscription on the waterwheel states that it is by J. Luxton & Co, Hatherleigh, 1882.
An interior photo of the ground floor shows the main milling machinery to have been removed; a recess for the spur wheel is visible in the wall, together with the hole for the wheelshaft. Against the wall are two rear hurst posts.

Department of Environment, 1983, Okehampton, 6 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV342832.

Town Mill, circa early 19th century water mill. Tall stone rubble building with granite quoins. Low pitched slate roof with gabled ends. Three storeys and attic. Second storey three iron-frame windows with glazing bars and small opening lights. Two similar windows to ground floor. Central first floor doors and loading doors above with hoist. Similar iron-frame attic window in gable end. Overshot iron water-wheel at north end, inscribed "J Luxton, Heatherleigh 1882". The internal machinery has been removed. This mill was, in 19th century, one of three mills in Okehampton and is probably on a medieval site.

Bodman, M., 1998, Water-Powered Sites in Devon, 44.59 (Report - non-specific). SDV305931.

Watts, S., 2003, Town Mill, Okehampton (Personal Comment). SDV349562.

Some machinery still remains inside

Ordnance Survey, 2012, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV348725.

Express & Echo, 28/01/1976, Untitled Source (Article in Serial). SDV349563.

Wheel restored by youth centre members who demolished the "old structure", renewed the timbers and water shute and cleaned out the leat.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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