See important guidance on the use of this record.

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

Summary

Lower King's Mill is first recorded as Kyngesmill in 1291. During the post medieval period it comprised corn mills and tucking mills and, in the later 17th century, a paper mill. The earliest buildings on the site probably date to the 16th/17th century. The mill worked until about the mid 20th century, latterly as a provender mill. It is now used as a store.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: ST00NW/112
• Old Listed Building Ref (II): 95262

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

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

'Lower Kings Mill (Corn)' shown as a large group of buildings to the south of 'Higher Kings Mill (Paper)'.

Bodman, M., 1998, Water-Powered Sites in Devon, 6 (Report - non-specific). SDV305931.

Lower Kings Mill. Other details: No. 16.

Exeter Archaeology, 2002, Archaeological Assessment of Lower King's Mill House, King's Mill Road, Cullompton (Report - Assessment). SDV336787.

Extensive documentary material survives for Lower Kings Mill which is first recorded as 'Kyngesmill' in 1291. The earliest surviving deed dates from 1543, at which time the property was leased by Simon Kellwaye and included 'Grystemylls Toking mylls pastures medowys woods orchards comons'. However, a testimony during a dispute over water rights in the early 17th century states that prior to Kellwaye there was 'but one' grist mill and one tucking mill suggesting that the site was developed by Kellwaye. In his will of 1569, Kellwaye left 'the mansion-house wherein I do now inhabit' at Kingsmill. In 1674, the property is described as including 'three water greist mills one fullinge mill one paper mill', incidently the earliest reference to a paper mill on the Culm. Both Higher (see PRN 1415) and Lower Kings Mill were briefly in the same ownership in the second half of the 18th century but were auctioned in two lots in 1792. Lower Kings Mill was acquired by Thomas Heard who commissioned a survey which shows the presence of fields named 'Lower and Higher Rackfield' indicating where racks on which fulled cloth was streteched. A sale notice of 1875 refers to 'a superior and most desirable convenient and pleasantly situated residence[.] With the Stables, Coach-House, spacious Yard, Usual Offices, and the well-stocked Gardens, with Greenhouse and Hothouse thereto belonging. Together with the extensive mills adjoining (worked by water power). Now and for many years past used as Corn Mills'. The purchaser was John Marks, described in the 1881 census as a miller and farmer. The directory for 1902 refers to John Marks & Son, millers. By 1910 the water power was being supplemented by a gas engine. In 1939 the Marks' are described as provender millers and corn merchants. The mill was acquired by St Regis Paper Company who used it as a warehouse.
The range of buildings to be affected by proposed alterations lie to the north-west of Lower King's Mill House - a rectangular building alongside the leat, an extension which adjoins the main house and a further extension to the south-west which is presently used as a store. The rectangular structure appears to contain 16th/17th century fabric and may date from the inferred expansion of milling at the end of the 16th century by Kellwaye. The extension to the main house possibly dates form the early 19th century. The south west extension is mid to late 19th century as is the roof of the rectangular builidng and the various brick builds suggests a large scale remodelling at this time. The mill buildings to the west are also of this period. The rebuilding may have been undertaken by John Marks following his purchase of the property in 1875.

Bodman, M., 2003, Watermills and Other Water-Powered Sites in Devon, 50 (Report - Interim). SDV325576.

Evans, P., 2006, New Office Development, Cullompton, Devon, 3 (Report - Assessment). SDV337919.

Morton, R., 2007, Land at Station Road Cullompton, Devon. Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment for Tesco Stores Ltd, 10,13,17 (Report - Assessment). SDV338659.

Watts, M., 2016, Water Power in the Lower Culm valley, 233 (Article in Serial). SDV363576.

Kings Mill is recorded in a charter of 1291 but the king to which the name refers is unknown, although it could possibly date from the 9th century when Cullompton was a royal estate.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4096 - Lower King's Mill House: Archaeological Assessment
• EDV4242 - Desk-based Assessment of Land at Station Road, Cullompton, Devon

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