Essex Mills Group
We organise a number of visits to mills and mill walks which may be of interest to Friends of Upminster. The following are the events arranged so far for this year. Please let Bob Sharp know if you are interested in attending any of them. Support of these events is always appreciated
Spring Mills Walk - Mills in the Colne Valley Sunday 21 May, 11am
Meet in Butler Rd car park, Halstead O.S. TL 83/93 812306
Pub Lunch in Halstead
Annual General Meeting Sunday 4th June, 11 am. To be held at Abbey Mill, Abbey Lane, Coggeshall
Short meeting (non-members may attend) to be followed by a tour round the mill and a drink in C oggeshall - possibly lunch!
Please bring a folding chair and a warm coat.
Visit to Morse's Wind Engine Park, Repps, Norfolk 11 am Sunday 2nd July
Marsh View, Staithe Road, Repps, Gt. Yarmouth, NR29 5JU
Morse's Wind Engine Park is a historical collection of unique wind engines and a scoopwheel dating back to the nineteenth century. The aim of the Park is to ensure the long-term preservation of the collection.
In 1947 Bob Morse purchased the then very derelict Thurne Mill which had only the stocks remaining, even the interior floors and stairs had rotted away. The tower was restored in only eighteen months with the help of Albert England, a direct descendant of England's of Ludham, the millwrights who built the mill in 1820.
Now leased to the Norfolk Windmill Trust, the mill turned again in September 2002 for the first time since 1936. This year should see the work completed on the turbine and then she will be able to 'pump' again.
Visit to Thorrington Street water mill Sunday, August 13th 12.30 pm
Meet at the Swan Public House, Stratford St. Mary [opposite pumping station] for lunch then shared transport to the mill where there is no parking. Mill visit will start at 2pm.
Lost local mills (part 2)
Continuing with the lost mills in our locality, Hornchurch had at least 3 mills with one of them fairly well known, sadly all lost forever. Of the 2 lesser known mills, clues of their existence is difficult as it is by old map symbols and documentation. Pin pointing the exact positions is even more difficult. A post mill known as Mardyke mill, stood in south Hornchurch at map Reference TQ 510838 c1865. It was very near the boundary of Dagenham just east of the Beam river and south of the Rainham Road probably near Newtons corner. There is supposed to be evidence of an old mill mound but I have not been able to trace it, but there is plenty of waste ground in the vicinity for a mound to still survive. If anybody knows of it or has any more information please let me know. The other less known mill was Bush Elms Farm mill (c1833). Again location is difficult, but it probably stood somewhere near the junction of Bush Elms Road and Globe Road. A hint of a clue could come from ’Hillcrest’ road giving arise that the contour of the land was high enough to ‘wind’ a mill. Documentation backs the existence of a post mill when it was put up for sale around 1855. When It was built and how long it existed is not known but a OS map published after 1864 omitted it. To think that a mill stood in this area once is so difficult to comprehend. No known photographic evidence exists for either of these mills.
By far the most well known mill was Hornchurch Post mill or as it is sometimes known the Dell mill. This mill along with Upminster Common mill would have been easily seen from our mill, on the west side of the Ingrebourne valley.
It stood behind St Andrew’s church in an area known as the Dell which at one time was notorious for such delights as cock fighting and probably other misdemeanors. Built c1772, this attractively designed mill worked well into the 1900s. In June 1921 the mill, now in dereliction was unfortunately burnt down but the adjacent cottage did survive. I visited the site some years back as I was told that the post of the mill still existed in amongst the undergrowth, but all I got for my efforts from searching was stinging nettle rashes and a very odd look from an old lady walking her dog! I also wanted to visit the enclosure where the old cottage was still in existence, and being inquisitive dared to venture further closer when I was met with the biggest Rottwieller dog I had ever seen so I turned tail and left. However, I again visited the site just a couple of weeks ago. The site can be best approached by taking the footpath signed for Ravenscourt Grove that runs south from the church with the electricity sub station on the right. Just before the path enters the main cemetery, a trackway spurs off to the right, and it’s at this junction and on the rough grassy patch where the mill stood. The track way leads to a set of gates to the mill cottage, but beware Mr Rottweiller is still in residence and just as angry. The biggest clue of the mill’s existence is Mill Park Avenue. Here the tradesman’s entrance into the mill yard could be reached and still survives today. If you take the footpath sign posted for the High street, and just before it enters the wooded area you will see a piece of corrugated iron sheet with what looks like a flat step in front. This is that entrance. The original wooden door has since been vandalised, hence the corrugated iron, but the original door frame survives. If you look beyond that doorway the lands dips down but you can just make out the mill cottage out buildings in the trees opposite (thanks to Russell Spencer for that info). Photographs of the mill show a porch over the back door with steep steps and a substantial base.
Most mills are named after the millers that owned them. Our mill as we know is known as Abraham’s, Upminster common was Pinchion’s mill and the Dell mill was Howard’s but does any one know where Pratts Colliers mill once stood? Well the answer to that plus all the Romford mill sites will be looked at in the next newsletter
Trevor Watts
Hornchurch Mill 1909