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Summary

Brent Canvas Mill, also known as Crackmills Mill and Lydia Mill, above Lydia Bridge on the west bank of the River Avon. In the grounds of a private house, are some fairly massive remains of buildings in which sail cloth was produced from the early 18th century until the 1870s.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Buildings Record: NRI01
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1305185
• National Record of the Historic Environment: SX66SE188
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX66SE/124

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• INDUSTRIAL BUILDING (Built, XVII to XIX - 1700 AD (Between) to 1879 AD (Between))
• TEXTILE MILL (Built, XVII to XIX - 1700 AD (Between) to 1879 AD (Between))
• WATERMILL (Built, XVII to XIX - 1700 AD (Between) to 1879 AD (Between))

Full description

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

'Brent Canvas Mill (Disused)' shown on 19th century map.

Ordnance Survey, 1904 - 1906, Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map, 120NW (Cartographic). SDV325644.

"Brent Canvas Mill (disused)" marked on OS 6" (1907) map and 'Brent Canvas Mill' indicated on later (1969) edition.

Shorter, A. H., 1947 - 1949, A Classification of Old Mills in Devon and Cornwall, 278 (Article in Serial). SDV102853.

Mentioned in a classification of mills, canvas mill.

Council for British Archaeology, 1963-1985, National Record of Industrial Monuments (NRIM): Index Cards (Un-published). SDV364291.

(10/06/1972) Record number 118314. Recorded by NRIM. Photographed. South West Textile Mills Project Number: 421

Harris, H., 1968, Industrial Archaeology of Dartmoor, 222 (Monograph). SDV149229.

Crackmills Mill, above Lydia Bridge on the west bank of the Avon in the grounds of a private house, are some fairly massive remains of buildings in which sail cloth was produced until the 1870's. Mill was owned by the family of Will Crossing, and he worked there for a time in his younger days. The large iron wheel is still in position. On the outside of one of the walls around it is a small subsidiary wheel which, activated by the main wheel, was last used early in the present century to work a crushing machine in a quarry on the opposite side of the river. Water still flowed in the leat from the weir on the Avon just above. Above the wheel pit is the shell of a very substantial stone building which was probably used as a store. Another 3 storey building formerly stood on the site of the present garden. On the south side of the bridge is a former wheelwright's shop.

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

Visited in 1973.

Robinson, R., 1977-1979, South Brent Parish Checklist (Worksheet). SDV151046.

The wheel is still in situ. The building above the wheel was a ruinous shell, roughly rectangular, early in the 1970s with full size trees growing inside. It has now been reduced to single storey and much altered. The other building has been removed but an early photograph of it survives (collection Mr Brian Gant, S. Brent). The mill was owned at one time by the family of William Crossing, who worked here in his younger days. Further historical details given on worksheets.

Booker, F., 1979, Canvas Mill, South Brent (Correspondence). SDV364696.

Visited on 14th map 1979. Canvas Mill dates from early 18th century. The most substantial remaining structure (now with temporary roof) was presumably the sail canvas cutting and storage shed. It is now the subject of conversion and restoration proposals. The only surviving machinery on site is a 10 foot breast iron water wheel and two ancillary gear wheels. Water wheel needs repair but has been turned by water from leat. There is also an adjoining millwright's cottage.

Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, 1982, Mills Index (Un-published). SDV12998.

Bodman, M., 1998, Water-Powered Sites in Devon, 1, 15 (Report - non-specific). SDV305931.

Listed as 'Brent Canvas Mill'. Entry indicates surviving waterwheel.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8699 - RCHME South West Textile Mills Project (Ref: RCH01/063)
• EDV8686 - National Record of Industrial Monuments (no map feature)

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