Building record MDR10957 - South Wingfield Corn Mill, Church Lane, South Wingfield

This stone-built three storey water-powered corn mill is on an ancient site on the River Amber. A mill is shown here by Burdett in 1767. A notice in the London Gazette in 1840 advised that William Walters Junior had left the partnership but in 1843 William Walters Senior, miller at South Wingfield, was declared bankrupt. The mill appears to have been taken over by Charles Bower in 1881 who operated it until 1925 when J A Taylor became the owner. There are a number of additions to the original stone mill, which appears to date from the early 19th century. A date stone on the adjacent culvert under the road reads '1816'. It was powered by a large, low breast waterwheel, some 9ft wide, which took its water via a large leat from a weir on the River Amber near South Wingfield Church, about half a mile upstream. Two turbines were fitted at an unknown date and, apart from powering the mill, also produced electricity. Some parts of these turbines are still in place. Roller millers and various vertical grinders supplied by Booths of Congleton, together with hoppers, chutes and bins still remain but the weir has been breached in a flood and the mill now lacks a proper water supply. A collection of mill bills and old account books are held by the owners. The mill produced provender until about 1990 but is currently (1998) used as a store for animal feedstuffs and pet food, operated by Taylors Ltd of South Wingfield. (1) South Wingfield corn mill is a three storey gritstone corn mill, probably late 18th century in date, on an ancient water-power site on the River Amber. There are one and two storey later brick extensions to the side and to the rear. The mill fleam is still extant and the complex remains in use as Taylor's Corn Mill [2011]. (2)