Greys Mill (EHER 25409)

A mid 19th century water and steam mill, now a warehouse, on the site of an earlier mill destroyed by fire in 1858. Summary from record 15064: Former water and steam powered flour mill called Grey's Mill (River Blackwater) AW Deal and Sons Ltd.

Monument description derived from merging EHER 15064 and 25409. Kelvedon/ Greys Mill/ warehouse / no gear survives. <1> Two mills recorded in Kelvedon in 1066 (<2>) one of which may have been on the site of Greys Mill. A mill complex is known to have stood on the site in the 17th century when it was known as Inworth Mill, this was burnt down in 1830 and replaced with the present structure. <3> See also <4>. 1969. Field survey. Former water and steam powered flour mill called Grey's Mill (River Blackwater) AW Deal and Sons Ltd. (seed merchants). <5> June 1974. Grade II listed. A water and steam mill, now warehouse, built in 1858. It is built from painted brick in English bond and comprises five bays aligned NE-SW, and an engine house of three narrow parallel ranges aligned NE-SW to SE. The mill is four storeys and a loft, and the engine house is single storey. The mill was built for George Docwra after the earlier mill was destroyed by fire in 1858, and the engine house was added before 1872. At that time six pairs of stones were driven by water power, and five pairs by steam, operating 24 hours a day, six days a week; it was insured for £2,000. The square chimney was at the rear of the engine house. By 1976 it was leaning dangerously, and was demolished soon afterwards. <6> See photos <7>. 2001. Field survey. OS 1st edition 6" series. <8> 2008. Field survey. A handsome mid Victorian four storey brick and slated mill with column like quoins topped with capitals at the roof line. The engine and boiler house lie alongside, being 3 brick and slated buildings all adjoining with the middle section raised above the others, each with large, cast-iron ribbed, semi-circular headed windows in the end walls. Large brick chimney behind middle building. The whole complex can be dated to 1858, following the fire which destroyed the pre-existing Dowcras’ Mill. Although the new buildings were obviously built for steam power, a waterwheel was installed and did brunt of milling during the depression years. The mill house was also rebuilt following the fire which destroyed the mill. At present the mill is used by A.W. Deal and Sons Ltd (seed merchants). The last will and testament of Joseph Docwra left his mill (Kelvedon Greys), which he purchased from James Hobbs, along with the dwelling house, barns, stables, four cottages and 12 acres of land, to his nephew, also Joseph Docwra in 1835. This mill was rebuilt in 1858 by the Quaker miller George Docwra following a fire which destroyed the preceding mill and adjacent mill house. Docwra was renowned for operating his mill constantly, 24 hours a day over a six day period from midnight on Sunday to midnight on the following Saturday, stopping only on Sunday. By 1872 the mill had 11 sets of stones, six powered by water and five by steam, together producing flour for a number of large London bakeries (Benham, 1976). The mill continued through the interwar period, but closed as a mill after the Second World War. It was then used as a warehouse for seed merchants W. Deal and Sons and during this time most of the internal milling apparatus was removed and the engine house chimney was demolished. It finally lapsed into residential use in 1999-2000, the engine and boiler house were converted into a single residence while the mill was sub-divided into five apartments. Greys Mill is situated on the southern extreme of the built up area of Kelvedon, along the Maldon Road. It lies upon the Blackwater and within a group of associated grade II listed buildings including Greys the former mill house (EHER 25408), Little Greys (EHER 25406), the barn to the west of Greys Cottage (EHER 25407) and the road bridge to the south of the mill (EHER 30143). Unlisted buildings within this group include a number of 19th century outbuildings (EHER 80270) and Greys Cottage (EHER 82807). The mill is orientated on a NW-SE axis across the full width of the mill leat. A sluice diverting water into a by-pass or back channel circumventing the mill to the SE, lies approximately 50m to the north-east. The sluice mechanism is a 19th century or earlier 20th century construction and comprises three gates each raised using rack and pinion hand cranked via a worm gear. The brickwork revetment appears to be contemporary with the sluice gate. Little appears to have changed externally since the building was described in the list description (above). It is a four storey (with attics), 5 x 3 bay brick built mill with gable ends to the NE and SW, a slate covered pitched roof and no lucam. Adjoining the NE long wall are three parallel set single storey gabled ranges comprising a higher central engine house and a lower wheel house and boiler house to either side. The mill retains most of its original cast-iron framed multi-paned windows each with a central vertical pivoting light and large cast-iron arched windows, lighting the attic storey, in each gable. As a consequence of its conversion into apartments some alterations to window and doors has occurred, namely the insertion of new windows and the replacement of existing windows on the fourth floor. Also the replacement of the original taking-in door in the SW elevation with French doors and the insertion of replica doors, opening onto an area of decking, on the ground floor, rear (NE) elevation. The modern double width doors in the SW elevation have also been replaced with glazed doors and shutters. Although there has been alteration to the fenestration overall these changes have not upset the symmetry of the original design. The wheel pit is located outside the four storey mill and lies beneath the gable ended wheel house which abuts its SE wall. The winding mechanism of the sluice or shut which once controlled the volume of water to the wheel, partially remains on the upstream side of the wheel pit, although its gates were removed at the same time as the waterwheel. The engine and boiler house have similarly been cleared of all fixtures or fittings associated with power generation. However, they still retain their distinctive tall cast-iron arch headed windows and the bulls eye gable windows typical of many Victorian engine/power/pump houses. The NE brick elevation of the wheel house appears to have been removed and infilled with stud walling and glazed across the lower section. Its removal and replacement is most likely associated with the removal of the waterwheel. Present Use: Residential Condition: Good Site Significance: A large 19th century brick built water and steam mill of compromised significance due to extent of its conversion into apartments. However it does survive as a handsome example of a 19th century industrialised corn mill which has not been unsympathetically enlarged/altered externally and shares group value with a surrounding complex of associated buildings and structures. <9> NRHE data transfer: Water and steam mill, now warehouse, built in 1858. Painted brick in English bond. Five bays aligned North-East to South-West, and engine house of three narrow parallel ranges aligned North-East to South-West. Mill of four storeys and loft, engine house of one storey. The mill was built for George Docwra after the earlier mill was destroyed by fire in 1858, and the engine house was added before 1872. At that time six pairs of stones were driven by water power, and five pairs by steam, operating 24 hours a day, six days a week; it was insured for £2,000. The square chimney was at the rear of the engine house. By 1976 it was leaning dangerously, and was demolished soon afterwards. <10>