Bradford Mill, also known as Bocking Mill (EHER 27946)

An 18th century timber framed mill, still in use.

October 1951. Grade II* listed. Bradford Mill (published <3> as Bocking Mill) is an 18th century timber-framed and weatherboarded mill, still in use. <1> See photos <2>. Bocking Mill (NAT). <3> June 1979. Field survey. Name confirmed as Bocking Mill. Still in use but the iron water wheel is now inoperative, the mill being powered by electricity. <4> Bradford Mill/ grade II*/ gear in, pit wheel only, in use as a mill. <5> 2008. Field survey. This is probably the mill built in 1655 by John Bacon of Bocking who was referred to in that year for ‘erecting a new overshott myll uppon the main streame where never any was before’. Wm Daniell of Braintree, clothier, by his will of 1671/1672 bequeathed to his brother Paul Daniell, a fulling mill called Bradford Mill. This mill is also presumably the mill for which John Smeaton designed a new waterwheel in 1772. An 18th century or earlier weatherboarded and tiled mill with timber-framed and plastered mill house. The mill is on two levels and much of the water wheel remains and can be seen from Bocking Bridge. There are later additions and alterations to the rear but the frontage is largely preserved and remains one of the earliest mills still in use. Bocking mill lies adjacent to the weir, mill stream, mill pond and an attractive road bridge adorned with cast-iron lamps in the shape of dolphins. Two other listed building lie within the mill complex, these include the mill house and the stables. The mill stood redundant for many years but a recent examination of the mill has revealed it to be a rare example of an 18th century fulling mill. Originally it was single storey with a loft and apparently open sided where it faced onto the river. In the 19th century the front of the building was raised in height and it assumed the characteristic appearance of a corn mill (Andrews, D). All of the listed buildings have been restored and two new houses have been built in the yard to the rear. Between 1832 and 1888 Bocking Mill was worked by the Green family. In 1836 it had three floors, four pairs of stones and a six foot fall. When Robert Rutland Green sold up it had seven pairs of stones worked by both water and steam. For three generations it was in the hands of the Cane family, initially William Stephen Cane and then his son John Wagstaff Cane, the latter installing a gas engine to drive the four sets of stones. Until recently the mill still produced pellets and cubes for animal feed but using modern electric powered plant. The last proprietor John Cane removed the wheel but left the buckets visible in the tailrace, as a memorial to the old days Bocking Mill lies at the north eastern end of Bradford Street and at the base of Convent Hill. It lies adjacent to Bocking Bridge and opposite the Franciscan Convent and Chapel of Immaculate of Conception, Bocking. The mill is situated on a spit of land between the natural course of the Blackwater (E) and the mill leat, running parallel to the west. A modern sluice and weir returning the excess headwater from the mill leat back to the river lies at a short distance to the north. The mill leat continues for a short distance to the south along the western side of the mill and into the wheel pit, built central to the overall range but within the rear bay of the taller front range. The section of leat south of the sluice and particularly in the area of the mill race is completely silted up. Bocking Mill (EHER 27946) forms the principal building of a small group of three associated listed buildings including an 18th century mill house (EHER 27945) and an 18th century former stable block (EHER 27944). All are presently in private residential use and at the time of the survey access was not available. Orientated approximately north-south across the mill leat, Bocking Mill is a 3½ and 2½ storey, timber framed and weatherboarded mill with plain tiled gable ended roofs. It comprises two distinct sections with a tall ‘mill like’ range to the south and roadside and an in-line but lower gabled range to the rear (north). Although the building mainly dates to the 18th century the taller roadside bays (south) were heightened during the 19th century (Andrews, D). The taller southern range incorporates an in-line over sailing lucam in the gable of the southern roadside elevation. Supported on straight braces, the lucam overlies a taking-in door central to the second floor and an off-centre loading door on the first floor. A large 19th century two storey lean-to projects east from the southernmost bay and forms a continuation or catslide with the main roof. It is the largest of a number of accretions to the eastern elevation. As both the lean-to and the main building are clad in the same beaded weatherboard, it seems likely the whole building was re-clad in the 19th century following its heightening. The windows are mainly 19th century horizontal sliding sashes with glazing bars although casements and fixed glazing with 19th/20th century lead lights have been inserted. The water wheel was located in the northern bay and at the junction with the lower range. The wheel pit is built in red brick in Flemish bond up to the level of the first floor and has a large brick arch over the tail. The waterwheel floats remain visible although Benham reports that the waterwheel had been removed by the last miller. The lower rear range worked in unison with the southern bays and is a 2 or 2½ storey timber framed and primary braced range with weatherboarded elevations and a plain tile roof. A gable dormer lies to the rear (N) of the taller front range while a small weatherboarded outshut projects east from the northern bay. Some of the windows have been recently altered but they still broadly mirror the fenestration depicted in an early 20th century postcard of Bocking Mill. The mill house appears to date to the 18th century. It is a two storey house with a hipped Mansard roof with plain tiles and a pargetted refronting. A gable ended plastered and weatherboarded range incorporating a loading door in the rear bays extends to the rear of the main house. Immediately southwest of the mill house is a brick and weatherboarded stable block with a three window range comprising sash windows under segmental brick arches and a pair of stable doors with hay storage above. Present Use: Residential Condition: Good Bocking mill has been identified as a rare example of an 18th century fulling mill, typically converted to mill corn in the 19th century. It forms part of a group of textile/fulling mills built in the Braintree area and has group value along with the listed mill house and adjacent stable block. <6> Weather-boarded and tiled mill, listed as 18th century but possibly 17th century, with timber framed and plastered mill house (EHER 27945). The mill itself is basically on two levels and much of the waterwheel remains and can be seen from Bradford Bridge. There are later additions and alterations at the rear but the frontage of the mill has been largely preserved and it is one of the earliest mills to remain in use, although not by water power. It may incorporate parts of the 1580 mill built by the clothier family, the Nottages. <7> <8> Original HER entry merged with NRHE data transfer.