Monument record MDR9765 - Duffield Lower Mill (site of), Duck Island, Duffield
Type and Period (3)
- CORN MILL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- PAPER MILL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
- MILL HOUSE (Georgian to Victorian - 1800 AD to 1900 AD)
Protected Status/Designation
- World Heritage Site Buffer Zone
Full Description
The site is shown as 'Corn Mill' on late 19th century OS maps and as 'Corn Mill (Disused)' on an early 20th century OS map. The building is not evident on a mid 20th century OS map. (1, 2, 3, 4).
Two mills are recorded in Domesday Book at Duffield. By the 19th century three corn mill sites, known locally as Lower, Middle and Top Mills, can easily be identified on the River Ecclesbourne at Duffield. One of them was, for at least part of its life, a paper mill. However, the proximity of these mills and the fact that the trade directories of the 19th century rarely nominated the precise mill in which a miller worked makes it difficult to be certain who worked where. Even the names given to the mills themselves appears to have been somewhat flexible. In 1835 three millers and one paper maker are listed in a trade directory. In 1841 there are 6 millers and a millwright, together with three paper makers, whilst in 1851 seven millers and six paper makers worked in the village. There is therefore a considerable problem in allocating, with any certainty, individuals (and functions) to a particular mill. Lower Mill was a three-storey stone and brick building, built on an island known as Duck Island, with a weir close by on the river. Its origin is not known, but by the late 18th century it was owned by John Musters. In 1840 it was described as a 'corn and paper mill' occupied by Samuel Harvey and Samuel Rother. The mill then became owned by John Crossley and after his death in the early 1890s his wife continued to mill. It was offered for sale in 1899 with four pairs of stones. The wheel was removed, possibly during the 1914-1918 war, and it was subsequently used as a frame mill, making elastic hosiery until it was eventually destroyed by fire. The mill house is still standing on the island. (5)
The Mill House is an early 19th century Grade II building. It is of two storeys constructed from coursed squared gritstone with gritstone dressings, a Welsh slate roof, two brick gable stacks, and stone coped gables with moulded kneelers. (6)
Sources/Archives (6)
- <1> SDR18789 Map: Ordnance Survey (OS). 1882. OS County Series, 1st edition, scale 1:2500 (c. 25" to one mile). XLIV-12.
- <2> SDR18790 Map: Ordnance Survey (OS). 1896-1900. OS County Series, 2nd edition (1st revision), scale 1:2500 (c. 25" to one mile). XLIV-12, 1898.
- <3> SDR20367 Map: Ordnance Survey (OS). 1912-1921. OS County Series, 3rd edition (Second Revision), scale 1:2500 (25" to one mile). XLIV-12.
- <4> SDR18867 Map: Ordnance Survey (OS). 1937-38. OS County Series, Third Revision, scale 1:2500 (c. 25" to one mile). XLIV-12.
- <5> SDR19066 Bibliographic reference: Gifford, A. 1999. Derbyshire Watermills: Corn Mills.. B25, p 77.
- <6> SDR19551 Listed Building File: Historic England. 2011. The National Heritage List for England. List entry number 1311565.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred SK 3422 4349 (107m by 55m) |
|---|---|
| Civil Parish | DUFFIELD, AMBER VALLEY, DERBYSHIRE |
Related Monuments/Buildings (1)
Related Events/Activities (1)
- EDR3351
Please contact the HER for details.
External Links (0)
Record last edited
Mar 4 2023 6:05PM