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Summary

Grade II listed early 19th century former mill, on the site of earlier watermills on the River Kennet, converted for residential use in late 20th century

Associated Legal Designations or Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1136077: MILL HOUSE
• Conservation Area: Marsh Benham
• Registered Park or Garden (II) 1000525: Hamstead Marshall Park

Other Statuses and Cross-References

• Berkshire SMR No. (pre 2000): 05109.00.000
  
• National Monuments Record No.: SU 46 NW 143
  SU 42349 66967
• Old Listed Building Ref (pre 1984) (II): ø Map No 25 3/81 Hamstead Mill
  Early C.19, stucco, slate roof. A symmetrical block with three storey octagonal central tower with window on each face. W. front has central entrance with hoist door over in narrow frame embracing both, with delicate pediment on brackets over hoist door. Flanking one storey wings, each of 4 bays, the extreme end bays projecting and roof carried across forming a verandah between end bays and central tower supported on slender columns. Door with 6 vertical panels in LH end bay, centre window blocked.

Monument Type(s):

• WATERMILL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• MILL HOUSE (19th century to Late 19th century - 1810 AD? to 1900 AD)
• APARTMENT (Late 20th century - Present to Early 21st century - 1987 AD? to 2050 AD)

Full Description

Documentary research by Wessex Archaeology <3> noted that the mill at Hamstead Marshall was first recorded in the Domesday Survey, and that a water mill and two fulling mills were also recorded in 1270. It seemed likely that the fulling mills were situated on the streams running through the nearby deer park. The mill was burnt down in 1810, and the most recent structure on the site was built in the 19th century, incorporating a wheel and turbine used for generating electricity. Map regression indicated that the site had not changed between 1880 and 1999, although the mill was no longer working.

The mill bulding of the early 19th century has a raised centre with chamfered corners (an octagonal shape) <5>.

WATER MILL ON KENNET, WHEEL AND TURBINE. MILL NOT WORKING, TURBINE USED TO GENERATE ELECTRICITY. "EXCELLENT BUILDING. CLASSICAL STYLE" <1>

Planning applications in 1987 were granted for internal alterations to Hamstead Mill, to convert it to two and four units <10><11>, although it appears on the 5th Epoch Ordnance Survey mapping of 1969 with some sub-divisions to the southern range <12>. In the early 21st century there are six numbered dwellings in the mill, an L shaped complex.

The mill was historically in Speen parish, and photographs of it taken in 1963 by Kennet Major were catalogued with other images of Speen by the National Building Record <15>.

Sources and further reading

Related Monuments

Associated Excavations and Fieldwork

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