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Summary

Former early 19th century mill, began as a water powered paper mill, then a brewery and corn mill. It was taken over by British commandos during World War II, then used by Dartmouth Pottery before being converted for residential use in the early 21st century.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1197637: DARTMOUTH POTTERY

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 1543841
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX85SE/198
• Old Listed Building Ref (II): 387399

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BREWERY (XIX to XX - 1801 AD to 2000 AD (Between))
• PAPER MILL (XIX - 1801 AD to 1900 AD (Between))
• POTTERY WORKSHOP (XX - 1901 AD to 2000 AD (Between))

Full description

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

'Warfleet Brewery' shown.

Ordnance Survey, 1904 - 1906, Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV325644.

'Brewery' shown.

Ordnance Survey, 1907, 134NW (Cartographic). SDV337498.

'Brewery' shown.

Shorter, A. H., 1938 - 1939, Paper Mills in Devon, 35 (Article in Serial). SDV85082.

Shorter, A. H., 1947, Paper Mills in Devon and Cornwall, 100 (Article in Serial). SDV85084.

Shorter, A. H., 1950, The Historical Geography of the Paper Making Industry in Devon, 1684-1950, 209 (Article in Serial). SDV122239.

Paper mill known to have been operating at Warfleet between 1790 and 1830.

Department of Environment, 1972, Dartmouth, 46 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV155627.

Warfleet Mills (Dartmouth Pottery) Warfleet. Early 19th century industrial building, red stone, with low pitch gables and treatment of shallow wall arcading. Well placed in steep valley. Four-storey and basement, rough narrow coursed masonry. Mainly casement windows.

Aylmer, 1978, Untitled Source (Report - non-specific). SDV341205.

Freeman, R., 1993, The Story of Warfleet, 5,7,11,12-15 (Article in Serial). SDV341203.

This was originally a waterpowered papermill, which in 1819 replaced a flour mill. It then became a brewery, which closed in 1929. It was taken over by British commandos during World War II and used as headquarters during training at Gallants Bower. No known alterations for this last function.

Freeman, R., 1995, Warfleet Pottery (Worksheet). SDV341204.

Built in 1819 replacing an earlier watermill for grinding corn. The building was derelict and empty in 1939 and during World War II it was taken over as the Headquarters for Commandos during their training on Gallants Bower..

Bodman, M., 1998, Water-Powered Sites in Devon, 8, sites 1-3 (Report - non-specific). SDV305931.

Higher, Middle and Lower Mills at Warfleet.

Batty, M., 2003, South Devon Coast Path Project: a study of the archaeology along the coast path in the South Hams from Staddon Heights to Sharkham Point, 84 (Un-published). SDV336214.

Permission being sought for conversion into nine residential units. The Tithe Map Apportionment of 1840 for Plot 541 states 'Flour mill, house yard and waste', for Plot 543 states 'Mill ponds and waste', for Plot 547 'Plot over the mill' at SX88155028. The Apportionment for Plot 542 states 'Brewery cottage and garden'.

Bodman, M., 2003, Watermills and Other Water-Powered Sites in Devon, 85-6 (Report - Interim). SDV325576.

Two watermills and a horsemill at Walflete were held by John Holligrove. A lease of 1707 mentions three mills at Warfleet known as Higher, Middle and Lower Mills with cottages, stables and barns on either side of the lane. The mills were demolished in the early 19th century and a new paper mill was built on the site. The machinery was powered by a large 50 foot waterwheel and a mixture of coloured cotton rags were used which were cheaper than the white rags normally used. The paper mill had closed by 1832 and in 1840 the mills were partly a brewery and partly a flour mill. In 1862 the mill was advertised as a large corn mill. It was taken over by Heavitrees and became a brewery again until it finally closed in 1929. In 1948 the building was used in the manufacture of chemical detergents and pottery. The pottery prospered.

Ordnance Survey, 2013, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV350786.

'1 to 9 The Pottery' shown.

English Heritage, 2013, National Heritage List for England (National Heritage List for England). SDV350785.

Warfleet Brewery, now a pottery. Dated 1819, with some later 19th and 20th century alterations. Local stone rubble with a more red-brown rubble reserved for voussoirs; single brick chimneyshaft, any other stacks are disused; slate roof. Plan: Large rectangular building built down the hillslope. Exterior: 4 storeys with attics and basement. 2:3:2-window west front. All the original openings have low segmental-arch heads, most are partly blocked and contain plain narrow horizontal windows. Left 2-window section most altered with a ground-floor 20th century garage door, four 6-pane sash windows and a couple of oculus windows to the upper floors, mostly ignoring the original openings. Centre section broken forward very slightly under a gable with giant full-height pilasters to top round-headed arch. Here there is a central doorway at second-floor level, now to an iron bridge to the raised embankment of Weeke Hill (dating from 1863). Above it a loading hatch, and above that a datestone inscribed 1819 with the initials "A.H.H." Deep eaves carried on large shaped timber brackets and gable-ended roof. Both end walls in the same style; 1:2:1-window ranges divided by giant pilasters to round arches and top windows with round-headed arches. Because of the slope, the ground-floor level is buried at the uphill (right) end, whereas the left end has a broad blocked arch to the basement. Interior: Only partly inspected. Plain, strong utilitarian carpentry exposed. To ground floor, large square beams supported on a series of timber posts, and upright joists with criss-cross bracing. Second-floor crossbeams of large scantling here with large bead mouldings to the soffit. Roof not inspected. This old brewery plays an important role in the Warfleet area, an industrial building to contrast with the later houses.

Pink, F., 2014-2015, South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey Desk-Based Assessment (Interpretation). SDV357736.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV122239	Article in Serial: Shorter, A. H.. 1950. The Historical Geography of the Paper Making Industry in Devon, 1684-1950. Transactions of the Devonshire Association. 82. A5 Hardback. 209.
SDV155627	List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest: Department of Environment. 1972. Dartmouth. Historic Houses Register. A4 Comb Bound. 46.
SDV305931	Report - non-specific: Bodman, M.. 1998. Water-Powered Sites in Devon. A4 Spiral Bound. 8, sites 1-3.
SDV325576	Report - Interim: Bodman, M.. 2003. Watermills and Other Water-Powered Sites in Devon. A4 Spiral Bound. 85-6.
SDV325644	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1904 - 1906. Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital).
SDV336179	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1880-1899. First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map. First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital).
SDV336214	Un-published: Batty, M.. 2003. South Devon Coast Path Project: a study of the archaeology along the coast path in the South Hams from Staddon Heights to Sharkham Point. Mixed Archive Material. 84.
SDV337498	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1907. 134NW. Second Edition Ordnance Survey 6 inch Map. Map (Paper).
SDV341203	Article in Serial: Freeman, R.. 1993. The Story of Warfleet. Dartmouth History Research Group. 8. A5 Paperback. 5,7,11,12-15.
SDV341204	Worksheet: Freeman, R.. 1995. Warfleet Pottery. Defence of Britain Project. Worksheet + Digital.
SDV341205	Report - non-specific: Aylmer. 1978. Unknown.
SDV350785	National Heritage List for England: English Heritage. 2013. National Heritage List for England. Historic Houses Register. Digital.
SDV350786	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 2013. MasterMap. Ordnance Survey Digital Mapping. Digital. [Mapped feature: #84203 ]
SDV357736	Interpretation: Pink, F.. 2014-2015. South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey Desk-Based Assessment. AC Archaeology Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV85082	Article in Serial: Shorter, A. H.. 1938 - 1939. Paper Mills in Devon. Devon and Cornwall Notes and Queries. 20. Unknown. 35.
SDV85084	Article in Serial: Shorter, A. H.. 1947. Paper Mills in Devon and Cornwall. Devon and Cornwall Notes and Queries. 23.4. Unknown. 100.

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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