Mill and Mill Building, North Mills (EHER 26195)

Brick base for a smock mill built in the mid 18th century. The mill ceased to work in 1907, was removed in 1947, and the base is now used as a store.

Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import: Windmill shown on 18th century map. <1> <2> An octagonal yellow-brick base of a former smock windmill which worked until early this century; the wooden tower survived until 1947. Now a store. <3> Dated to the mid 18th century by Alderton and Booker but a date of 1790 is given by DOE. This later date is, however, incompatible with the depiction of a mill here on Chapman and Andrew's Map of 1777. <4> August 1976. Field visit. The octagonal brick base of the mill stands 3.0m high at TL 81523099. See photograph. <5> <6> 1999. Survey. The North Mill (Frosts Mill) on Mill Chase, originally a post-mill, was in existence by about 1720 and was conveyed to the Frost family in 1770. In the early 19th century it was replaced by a smock mill on a brick base. In 1878 a steam mill was in use in the complex and a further storey added to the original two-storey steam brick mill in 1897. In 1907 wind power was abandoned. It was partially demolished in 1922 and in 1947 all but the ground storey was removed. The remaining portion is still in use as a workshop. The cap, sails and fly-tackle were brought down in a gale in 1867 but were replaced and in use until 1922. <7> 2008. Survey. Frosts Mill is a small complex of former mill buildings situated on the north-west side of Halstead and along Mill Chase. The site is laid out in a courtyard plan, formed by an L-shaped range comprising a millers house (E) and a later steam mill (N) and an attached modern dwelling and garaging at opposite return (W). Central to the courtyard lies the brick base of a smock mill and to the rear of the steam mill is a large brick built industrial chimney stack. All historic buildings have now been converted to residential use and some new build, in keeping and in proportion with the surrounding mill buildings have been added along the western boundary of the site. The mill house is a two storey early 18th century timber-framed two storey range with a later 19th century brick re-fronting and a later catslide roof to the rear. The mill house is built over 5 bays and adjoins a similarly proportioned in-line 3 bay 19th century range built between it and the eastern end of the steam mill. The windows of the mill house façade are 19th century horned vertical sliding sashes and are of the same design and date as those used in the brick-built two storey linking range to the north. A taking in door located in the bay directly adjacent to the steam mill (now French doors) suggests the link was probably used in the cleaning and storage of produce. Overshadowing the smaller mill house to its south-east, the steam mill is a typical example, built over 5 bays and 3½ storeys. It has an off centre weatherboarded lucam built into the courtyard elevation (S) and above a tier of taking in doors (now blocked) and the roof eaves level. The main roof and the roof over the lucam are gable ended and slate covered. The walls are built in red brick and laid in Flemish bond. All the windows in the mill have brick segmental arched heads with either single or 2 courses and replacement sash type joinery. Built in line with the steam mill and to its western side is a two-storey possibly 3 bay engine house and to the rear a large tapering 19th century chimney stack with over-sailing courses. It is unclear when the engine house was built but there are references to an engine house for Edmund Frost in 1907-08 (D/UH Pb1/155 and D/UH Pb1/168). The octagonal ground floor storey of an 18th century former smock mill (EHER 26195) survives to the south of the steam mill, its wooden tower demolished in 1947. Two arch headed window apertures and an arched doorway remain, the former still retaining good examples of 18th century iron window frames. Condition: Good Order. Use: Residential. <8> April 2011. Field survey. Structure is in good condition and houses a variety of objects of historic interest as detailed in the description by Farries above. The smock mill base is still owned and used for storage by the Frost family but the adjoining mill buildings are now separately owned and used for sheltered accommodation and are managed by Cognitum (formerly English Courtyards Ltd). A single dressed 54in. O.D. French Burr stone is leaning against the outside of the smock base as a garden ornament but the Calcium sulphate (Plaster of Paris) matrix is deteriorating rapidly. The stone was constructed by W.A. Dell & Son, Mark Lane, London and could have been used in smock mill or in the adjoining steam mill. <9> See also: <10> <11>