Blue Mill and Mill House (EHER 39094)

An 18th century mill and mill house, now dwellings. The former mill is timber framed and weatherboarded with 20th alterations. The house is of red brick, with a gambrelled red plain tiled roof, and two gabled dormers windows. The mill was probably built in 1729.

November 1985. Grade II listed. An 18th century mill and mill house, now dwellings. The former mill is timber framed and weatherboarded with 20th alterations. The house is of red brick, with a gambrelled red plain tiled roof, and two gabled dormers windows. The house comprises two storeys, attics and basements. There is a single storey extension to the left with two 20th century windows. Cast iron railings to the left of the front door enclose the front left garden. The former mill is to the right of the house, it is of two storeys with a three-window range of 20th century casements. Documentary evidence relates to 'my newly built mill - 1729'. <1> See photos <2>. 2007-2008. Survey of Water and Steam Mills in Essex. A small 18th century two storey weatherboarded mill adjoining an attractive three storey, tiled and red brick mill house. The mill is set on a small tributary of the Chelmer, no longer has machinery and the head and tail have been backfilled. The mill probably stopped working around the turn of the 20th century and was used for many years in connection with market gardening and water cress growing. Blue mills is mentioned in the will of a Little Baddow miller dated 1790, as a newly erected mill at Woodham Walter. Between 1802 and 1805 it was occupied by Wm. Jones a Chelmsford leather dresser and subsequently by Joseph Riley. It is presently in use as an engineering works and has recently been repaired. There is a tradition that Blue mills was once powered from three sources, wind, water and steam and this suggestion is supported by local residents who insist its proper name is Blue Mills i.e. in the plural. The mill was worked in the 1820s by Joshua Riley and by 1848 by Robert Marriage. It probably ceased working as a mill by the close of the 19th century and was subsequently used for both farming and market gardening until it was bought, derelict, by Mr M. Nolan who restored it as his home and electronics workshop. Blue mills is situated to the eastern side of Woodham Walter, along Blue Mills Lane and adjacent to a small stream which flows north to join the river Chelmer and the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation. The stream runs along the western side of the site nearest to the mill house. The positions of the original mill leat and tail remain unclear. The site still comprises an 18th century timber framed and weatherboarded mill building with a pitched plain tile covered roof and to the west an in-line timber framed mill house with a red brick front and a plain tile Mansard roof. The mill is built over three storeys with modern windows inserted into the ground and first floors. It does not have a lucam, typical of many Essex mills, and appears to have been extensively modernised during its reuse for domestic purposes. The mill house is built over 3½ storeys with a red brick refronting to the ground and first floors of the façade and gabled dormers in the attic storey above a parapet wall. The end and rear elevations are weatherboarded. A modern residential extension is located to the rear of the mill house while converted former outbuildings lie immediately to the east. Internal access was not possible. A pair of 19th century mill workers cottages, built between 1875-1897, are situated to the SE of the mill on Blue Mills Lane. They are two storey brick-built cottages with a rendered first floor, slate covered, hipped roofs and a central axial stack. They are presently used as residential premises and are in good condition. <3> Woodham Walter Blue mill (formerly Ravens farm). Some gear retained. <4> NRHE data transfer: Blue Mill [NAT]. <5> (SIC) Blue Mills 18th century. A two-storey, weatherboarded and tiled watermill with adjoining brick-fronted mill house. Disused for milling probably before the turn of the century and for many years derelict. The mill building was converted to an infra-red engineering works in 1970, but this business is now elsewhere. <6> Blue Mill and Mill House. Mill and House now dwellings, 18th century origin. Documentary evidence relates to 'My newly built mill-1729'. <7>