Monument record MDR8121 - Sough Wheel (site of), Eckington

Sough Wheel lies on the southern side of the River Moss, on a small tributary stream which runs directly into the pond. It was probably built only a short time before Parliamentary Enclosure in 1796, since there are several references to it as the 'New Wheel' in documents of that date. It was built on Crown land and included an area called Water Wood. A survey shows the site in 1773, before the existence of the wheel, while another shows it in 1795. The latter depicts two buildings, one at the northern end of the pond, the other on the western side. A pencil note in a contemporary notebook, partly illegible, reads 'W & J Mullings New Wheel for Grinding Sickles let for about £10 per trough there are only 2 troughs [ .. ] will be worked at their wheel [ .. ] a good one they built it'. Another document of around the same date records 6 troughs. The site was referred to in 1817 as 'Sough Wheel near Ford for grinding sickles' and was tenanted by John Mullins. It was unlet in 1827. (1)