Listed Building: STURMINSTER NEWTON MILL (102477)

STURMINSTER NEWTON NEWTON STURMINSTER NEWTON MILL (Formerly listed as: NEWTON MILL) Sturminster Newton Mill (formerly listed as Mill) 1140/9/99 04-OCT-60 II* ST 7813 9/99 4.10.60 II* Water grist mill. C16/17, partly reconstructed circa mid C17; extended late C18/early C19. Ashlar and coursed stone rubble; remains of earlier timber-framing in north wall of south range; English bond red brick north range on earlier ashlar plinth. Stone tile and clay plain tile roofs with gabled and half-hipped ends. PLAN: Overall L-shaped on plan; the south range probably date from the late C16 and was timber-framed originally, but was reconstructed in stone circa mid C17; the late C18 or early C19 brick north wing stands on an earlier stone base, which is thought to be the remains of a fulling mill referred to in a deed of 1611. The machinery was replaced in the C19 and the undershot water wheels were replaced by a water turbine in 1904. EXTERIOR: 2 storeys and attic. The south range has an ashlar south wall with three casement windows with small panes on the first floor; main entrance on east end with taking-in door above and window to right and in gable above; the north wall of the south range is partly stone and brick with remains of earlier timber-framing and on the north east corner there is a diagonally-set buttress with a weathered set-off. The north wing has an ashlar plinth and is constructed of brick above, the 2-light timber windows have cambered brick arches and the wheel-pit situated between the two ranges now contains the turbine room; small loft window in north gable end. INTERIOR: Low in the west end wall of the south range [on the meal floor] there is a blocked stone Tudor arch doorway; on the stones floor above the floor beams are supported at their north ends by timber posts with moulded corbelled heads; large unchamfered floor beams and joists. The south range has late C16 or early C17 roof structure, the collar trusses [mortice-and-tenoned collars replaced by collars set higher] have two tiers of threaded purlins, threaded diagonal ridgepiece, curved wind-braces and common-rafters mostly intact. Roof of north wing has tie-beam trusses with staggered trenched purlins, diagonally-set ridgepiece, halved and lapped collars and common-rafters intact. The C19 machinery is intact and in working order, including grain bins on the bins floor. There were a pair of under-shot water wheels side-by-side installed in 1849, but replaced in 1904 by a single water turbine. Two of the three pairs of millstones were replaced in 1947 by a pair of hammer-mills. NOTE: A mill on this site was recorded in the Domesday Book. A deed of 1611 refers to a fulling or tucking mill built next to John Young's grist mill. Sturminster Newton Mill is an outstanding early example of a substantial C16/17 water mill with C19 machinery intact. SOURCES: [1] RCHM, Dorset, vol III, 1970, p.284, no.56. [2] Loosmore, P., Clarke, R., Sturminster Newton Mill; Sturminster Newton Museum, booklet no.6, June 1995.

Record last edited

Jan 19 2009 2:46AM