Abbey Mill (EHER 8660)

Watermill, built in the 17th century and altered in the 19th century. Timber-framed, weatherboarded, roofed with handmade red plain tiles. Single range aligned east-west, approximately 39 metres long, incorporating a cottage with axial stack, gig-house and stables at east end. Mid 19th century lean-to engine-house of red brick in Flemish bond, roofed with slate, near middle of north side, and chimney to north of it. Single-storey lean-to extension at east end, roofed with corrugated iron. Two storeys, and loft floor in gambrel roof.

Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import: Abbey Mill (Corn) (NAT). <1> Abbey Mill replaced the original monastic mill at the end of the 17th century and was converted to a corn mill about 1850. It is one of the very few watermills in the country which is still working occasionally. <2> Abbey Mill (formerly listed as Water Mill at Coggeshall Abbey). Watermill. 17th to 18th century water mill, altered in the 19th century. Timber-framed, weatherboarded, roofed with handmade red plain tiles. Breast-shot wheel. Sluice gate renewed about 1977. Four pairs of French burr stones. Cast iron pit wheel embossed with name 'A. Clubb, millwright, 1840' (of Colchester). Mechanism complete and in working order in 1987, with all ancillary equipment. There is a history of fulling on this site. Not known if present mill built for fulling but from 1820 it was opened as a silk throwing mill. In 1839 it was converted to corn-grinding and remained in commercial use until 1960. It was adapted for steam in 1857 or earlier. Steam engine and related equipment has been removed and the height of the chimney has been reduced. Grade I. <3> Present mill built on site of an earlier flour mill (probably from same period as Abbey) by Flemish refugees in the 17th century for weaving, so at this time it would have been a fulling mill. Later it was used for milling flour. It is still in perfect order and was used for milling purposes by water power until a few years ago. For a few years, around 1900. it was converted to steam but the machinery was later removed and the mill restored to its former beauty. Photo of mill. <4> Abbey Mill, Grade I - gear in. <5> February 1974. Field visit. Recorded by NRIM. Photographed. <6> September 1976. Field visit. The 17th century building and machinery are preserved in working order. <7> 1986. Watching brief. Watching brief on tree planting scheme produced no archaeological evidence. Tree holes approximately 25x25x25 cm deep into clayey brown topsoil. <8> 2001. Field survey. This site has a long and varied social and industrial history, being the site of the Coggeshall Cistercian Abbey and Abbey Mill dating from the 12th century. In the early 17th century a fulling mill built by Flemish refugees served the Coggeshall woollen cloth industry. The present mill was built in the mid 18th century as a weaving mill and became a silk throwing mill in about 1820. It is timber-framed and weatherboarded all under a roof of hand made plain tiles, with slate on the rear cat-slide. It has a breast-shot wheel. The windows of the upper storey are designed for the weaving activity being along much of the length of the mill, with small panes. In about 1840 it was converted to corn milling. It was adapted for steam power in the mid 19th century and the engine house and chimney remain although the equipment has been removed and the chimney, which has a square base and round flue, reduced in height. The mill operated until about 1960 and remains largely intact as one of the largest and best preserved mills in the county. ARCHAEOLOGICAL POTENTIAL: This mill remains largely intact externally and warrants internal inspection to determine what technological features survive and assess their significance. The watercourse also remains intact with its associated technology. SITE SIGNIFICANCE: The site is significant as one of the most important water-powered mill sites in Essex, associated with corn milling, weaving, fulling and silk throwing. RECOMMENDED ACTION: Maintain current status. MANAGEMENT The mill is well maintained by its current owners. Considering its significance a detailed record should be undertaken, consisting of floor plans, technical details, details of the internal structure, photography and textual analysis. <9> 2008. Field survey. Abbey Mill lies at a short distance south of the monastic buildings of Coggeshall Abbey (EHER 25216-18), south-east of a small collection of 16th century and 17th century agricultural buildings (EHER 25213-15) and immediately east of the 15th century mill house (EHER 25212). All are listed individually but together form a group of remarkable historic and architectural value. The mill is orientated east-west across the mill leat, which passes below the western bays of the mill on its journey southwards to rejoin the Blackwater, about 160m to the south. It is approximately 13 bays in length although the main milling floors are concentrated within the 7 westernmost bays, the remainder to the east comprising a cottage, wagon bay and redundant stable range. Built over 3 ½ storeys it has weatherboarded elevations and a Mansard roof with handmade plain tiles, half hips and modern roof-lights. A red brick former engine house and accompanying brick chimney stack of 1857 extends to the rear (north) and on the eastern side of the watercourse. The waterwheel is located in the penultimate bay to the west and lies parallel to the mill sluice gate and by-pass channel which run to the west of the wheel pit and beneath the adjacent end bay. Its axle follows the same long axis as the building. Ground floor: Measuring 12ft 7inches in diameter the 10 spoke cast-iron waterwheel comprises two circular iron frames each cast in two semi-circular halves and bolted together (4 half sections in total). It is mounted on circular section iron shaft or axle (which at present needs repair) and has sheet iron floats and sole-boards fixed to the wheel using wooden starts set in mortises. On the northern side of the wheel is a dual system for opening the shut to the wheel at breast height or to raise the shut to use the remaining water undershot. The pit wheel in the adjacent bay to the east is an 8 spoke cast-iron wheel with metal cogs, cast by A. Clubb, Millwright of Colchester in 1840. It meshes with an iron wallower mounted onto the base of an iron upright shaft, which carries a 6 spoke cast-iron spur wheel and 3 remaining stone nuts with wooden cogs. There were originally 4 stone nuts but the north-west nut is now missing. Of the 3 survivors 2 still have lever type tentering gears and one simply uses a nut. A jack beneath the wallower allows it to be disengaged so that the spur wheel could be driven independently using steam power. The whole drive mechanism lies central to the 7 milling bays and is supported within a heavy softwood hursting which is enclosed and segregated from the (spout) floor using pine matchboarding. A grain elevator adjacent and to the east of the hursting and close to the flour chutes or spouts rises through the floor above to connect with a large silk screen bolter or grader located on the bin floor (second floor). At a short distance to the east is the sack hoist while a millers office remains close to the main entrance. Where visible the timber frame is primary braced softwood construction using heavy binding joists with chamfers and stopped ends. There is much reused timber within the timber frame and later reworking of floors, as there are many replacement common floor joists, some tennoned into the binding joists whole others lie over their backs. The original straight flights to all floors remain. First floor: Central to the first floor and mounted upon a timber staging are four sets of French Burr millstones. All four are grouped together around the upright shaft and remain in-situ, although the runner stone has been removed from the north-east set, but lies adjacent. The western two of the four stones still have their hexagonal tuns and some furniture, but the south-east set of stones now has a (later) part timber, part steel circular tun with furniture. Two hexagonal tuns, presumably original to the eastern pair are stored close-by. The stones are French Burrs manufactured by Coombe and Co. London. A 6 spoke iron crown wheel sits on top of the upright shaft and drives via a bevel gear a layshaft aligned N-S between the crown wheel and northern rear wall. Pulleys and leather belts attached to the layshaft drove auxiliary machinery on this floor including an extant grindstone and the sack hoist bollard on the floor above. The layshaft in turn could also be driven independently by steam power, to power the sack hoist and auxiliary machinery, when the waterwheel was disengaged. A bell mechanism to warn against the stones running dry is situated above the crown wheel. An extensive collection of miller’s tools, spare pulleys and various types of balance scales are exhibited on this floor. Two loading doors along the south front are situated in the bays either side of the central bank of stones. A sack slide used when hoisting the sacks up to the bins on the attic floor or for loading carts with sacks of flour is still present to the rear of the eastern doorway. On this floor the interior of the walls are clad up to window sill level using pine match boarding with a bead detail along the soffit. Where exposed the main timber frame has been lime-washed. The windows are continuous or weavers windows synonymous with the textile industry and similar to those used in the textiles mills of Courtauld and Warners in Braintree and Halstead. Each softwood window frame is dowelled together and has a central chamfered mullion with two panes of 6 fixed lights either side. Second floor: The flour elevator to the east of the stones terminates at this level and feeds via a chute into are large silk screen bolter located along the rear northern wall. Adjacent to the elevator head is the sack hoist bollard, driven from the layshaft below and driving the sack hoist mechanism and pulleys located in the bays to the east. A raised axial walkway, extending the length of the 7 western bays of the roofspace, lies central to a series grain bins built into the roof structure between the walkway and the eaves. The lower roof plane of the Mansard roof is primary braced while the upper adopts common rafters rising to a ridge board. The trusses are queen post, to allow the central walkway with lower raking struts. In the upper roof there are two tiers of side purlins, the lower supported by the raking struts and the upper via a horizontal brace nailed between the queen strut and the common rafter. Further support is provided to the upper purlin by intermediate queen struts rising from the central walkway. Given the lightweight construction, extent of reused timbers and use of a ridge board, a 19th century reworking of the 18th century Mansard roof may be suggested. Present Use: Unused but well maintained and periodically open to the public. Condition: Very Good SITE SIGNIFICANCE: Abbey Mill is an important and early example of a 17th century textile mill that has undergone many alterations to cater with its change of use. It survives as one of only a few unconverted (residential/business) watermills within the county and is nationally significant as it still retains much historic apparatus/technology original to the building and the potential to be brought back fully into working use. Abbey Mill is one of the most significant surviving mills in Essex. <10> See also: <11> - <15>