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Summary

The current mill building, converted to a dwelling house in 1949, was built in the early 19th century, but recent (2017) excavation has revealed traces of two former mills on the site. In use up until the Second World War, little now remains of the mill features, except a flight of stone steps leading up to the front door.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56NW/49

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CORN MILL (Constructed, XIX - 1834 AD to 1836 AD (Between))
• HOUSE (Constructed, Mid 20th Century - 1949 AD to 1949 AD (Between))

Full description

Devon County Council, 1838-1848, Tithe Mosaic, approximately 1838-1848 (Cartographic). SDV349431.

The mill is depicted on the Tithe Map; 187-190 on the Meavy apportionment. 'Mill Tenement'. 188: 'Dwelling house, Mill out house, court and garden'. To the south of the river are marked mill meadow plots and an orchard is shown to the north of the mill.

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

Late 19th century historic map shows the corn mill, mill cottage and leat.

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

'Corn mill' is indicated on the early 20th century historic map (but not on the later 1950s version of the Ordnance Survey mapping).

Harris, H., 1968, Industrial Archaeology of Dartmoor, 209 (Monograph). SDV149229.

Meavy corn mill (at SX539672) is situated in the village; it ceased to work at about the time of the Great War. After lying derelict it was converted into a dwelling house several years ago. The wheel has long since disintegrated and the only relic of the mill is the flight of stone steps leading up to the front door.

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

Current mill building is 19th century in date.

Hemery, P., 1999, The Book of Meavy. Dartmoor Parish, Village and River, 23-4 (Monograph). SDV357795.

The Mill Cottage was originally the miller's house and stands adjacent to the old corn mill, which was driven by an overshot wheel on the east wall. The tail-race ran over the cobbles, the water re-joining the river down below. The date on the mill, now a dwelling house, of 1834 is a restoration date as there had been a mill in Meavy for centuries. The mill leat was taken in at the weir opposite the foot of Sheepstor Brook in Burrator Woods.
In 1808-1826, complaints were received from landowners and farmers due to the scarcity of water caused by the miller of Meavy. The mill was in use up until the Second World War and the last miller was Jack Vanstone. The mill was converted to a dwelling in 1949.
Includes a painting dating to around 1808 by Samuel Prout which is likely to show the mill before is restoration.

Ordnance Survey, 2015, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV357601.

The modern mapping shows the mill building and mill cottage.

Webb, P. + Waterhouse, R., 2019, The Mill, Meavy, 25 (Report - Watching Brief). SDV363466.

The archaeological monitoring and recording at The Mill identified a total of 25 features, all likely dating to the post-medieval and modern periods, and relating to three phases of mill construction on the site, and its later conversion into a domestic dwelling.
Documentary evidence is also included that charts the history of the site as a mill back to the mid-16th century and refers to the mills in the 16-17th centuries, as well as recording a number of the millers from the late 16th century onwards. See report for full detail.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8219 - Excavation and monitoring at the Mill, Meavy (Ref: MMM17)

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