MSO9354 - Lower Mill, Dulverton (Building)

Summary

Lower Mill is a three-storeyed building, which was fed by the main town leat and had a fender, relief sluice and sluice to the wheel pit. It was still in use as a mill before 1943, but had become 'Mill House' by 1970.

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Type and Period (3)

Protected Status

Full Description

'Lower Mill' is shown on a the 1962 Ordnance Survey map. [1] The mill is marked as a corn mill on the Second Edition Ordnance Survey map. [2] The mill is shown on the 1820 town map. [3] 'Mill house' is printed on the 1970 Ordnance Survey map. [4] It is a three-storeyed building, which has been converted into a dwelling. It was fed by the main town leat from SS91242868, and had a fender, relief sluice and sluice to the wheel pit. The wheel measured 12 feet in diameter and 5 feet wide. There are remains of an earlier sluice on the low brest wheel. A trail race was culverted under the mill. [5] Lower Mill was a grist mill in the hands of the Scott family until the 1920s, and by William Gibbons in the 1930s. [7] A mill stood close to the southern end of the mill leat at least by 1790, and very probably earlier. In 1790, this was still a small building, but it was developed and extended in the early 19th century. [8, 9] Lower Mill functioned as a corn mill until the 1930s and had a single low brest wheel, with the race culverted under the mill itself. [10] E-mail correspondence from the family of William Henry Gibbons advises that the latter purchased Lower Mill from Mr Scott in 1922 for £1,500. William had already been renting and operating Oakfordbridge Mills, having taken over from his father who became the tenant in 1879. In May 1926, William Gibbons also purchased Oakfordbridge Mills when Stuckeridge Estate properties were sold off to pay TC Daniel's death duties. As Mr Gibbons was living at Oakfordbridge, his brother, Joseph Gibbons operated Lower Mill, Dulverton until 1932, when William Gibbons' wife and son took over. There was little grain to mill during the war, so Mr Williams sold Lower Mill in about 1943. [11] Lower Mill is depicted on a 1790 survey of Dulverton. A 1820 map depicts the mill with a water wheel crossing the town leat. By 1861, Henry Scott ran the grist mill at Lower Mill. The mill is also recorded as being a grist mill in the 1920s and 1920s. [12] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [13]

Sources/Archives (13)

  • <1> Map: Ordnance Survey. 1962. 6 Inch Map: 1962. 1:10560.
  • <2> Map: Ordnance Survey. County Series; 2nd Edition (1st Revision) 25 Inch Map. 1:2500. 67(3).
  • <3> Map: 1820. Map of Dulverton.
  • <4> Map: Ordnance Survey. 1970. 1:2500 Map. 1:2500. SS912.
  • <5> Verbal communication: Various. Various. Oral Information. D Warren, Somerset Industrial Archaeological Society, 24 November 1977.
  • <6> Monograph: Aston, M. and Leech, R.. 1977. Historic Towns in Somerset. Committee for Rescue Archaeology in Avon, Gloucestershire and Somerset. Survey Number 2. P.43.
  • <7> Monograph: Binding, H. + Bonham-Carter, V.. 1986. Old Dulverton and Around: Dulverton - Bury - Brushford - Exebridge. The Exmoor Press. P.28, 39, 42, Photo.
  • <8> Article in monograph: Gathercole, C.. 2003. English Heritage Extensive Urban Survey: An Archaeological Assessment of Dulverton. The Somerset Urban Archaeological Survey. English Heritage. P.9, 15.
  • <9> Map: 1790. Plan of Manor of Dulverton.
  • <10> Unpublished document: Fisher, J.. c.2003. Dulverton Conservation Area Appraisal. p5, 8, 17.
  • <11> Unpublished document: Gibbons, P.. 2016. Contact from Exmoor HER web site: MSO9354 Lower Mill Dulverton.
  • <12> Report: Riley, H.. 2015. Dulverton Town Weir, Exmoor: Historical research, recording and assessment.
  • <13> Digital archive: Historic England. Various. National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE) entry. 1114452, Extant 11 April 2022.

External Links (1)

Other Statuses/References

  • Exmoor National Park HER Number (now deleted): MSO11214
  • Local List Status (Unassessed)
  • National Monuments Record reference: SS 92 NW24
  • National Park: Exmoor National Park
  • NRHE HOB UID (Pastscape): 1114452
  • Somerset SMR PRN: 33546

Map

Location

Grid reference Centred SS 9127 2774 (25m by 21m) MasterMap
Map sheet SS92NW
Civil Parish DULVERTON, WEST SOMERSET, SOMERSET

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

Related Events/Activities (0)

Record last edited

Apr 11 2022 1:45PM

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