Chalford Mills

Near Stroud, Gloucestershire

8th May 2016                                                    Photos by Hetty

A walk with Gloucestershire Society for Industrial Archaeology

Chalford once had 20 mills, several of which remain, although no longer making cloth.

We parked in the lay-by near Christ Church (18th century)

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And met the group at the canal, by the Round HouseS1051280 copy S1051233 copy

Chalford Place is part 16th century with mid 17th century gables.  It was a mill owner’s house, then an inn in the 19th century, called the Company’s Arms – which relates to the East India Company, as clothiers in Chalford specialised in Spanish strips for the East India Co. It was part of a large estate, and there was a house here in 1240.

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Belvedere Mill – rebuilt as a corn mill 1850, but there was a fulling mill here in 1439

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Brookside, 17th century clothier’s house for Iles Mill

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Manger’s house for Iles Mill

S1051242 copyIles Mill made cloth 1608 to 1840, then walking sticks

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St Mary’s Railway Crossing signal box  c.1875 is a listed building

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St Mary’s – clothier’s house, re fronted early 1800s

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This site was owned by the Chantry of St Mary in Minchinhampton from the late 1300s, and there was a fulling mill by 1548, and later a corn mill. After 1840 flock, and later walking sticks, were made

St Mary’s Mill 1820

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On the ground floor of the mill are:

a water wheel

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a steam engine,

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fulling stocksS1051270 copy

This was made at the Phoenix Iron Works, Thrupp, Stroud

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Clayfield’s Mill rebuilt 1785

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Warehouse Mill – built c. 1830 as a wool warehouse for Clayfields’s Mill, then became a silk mill in 1840.

S1051239 copyBliss Mill Estate – There used to be several mills here.

William, son of Hugh of Chalford, had a mill here in the early 13th century, but the name Bliss’s Mill dates from the 1780s. By 1875 the whole estate was owned by William Dangerfield and made walking sticks

The window on the end wall of this building may be Tudor

S1051281 copyThe clock tower remains from Bliss’s Mill that was destroyed by fire in 1889

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New Mill (the long mill building) was built c.1875, Mugmore Mill (the small building to the left) is older

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Dark Lane House

S1051285 copySevillowes is an old house re-fronted in early 1800s that had 4 mills in 1840S1051286 copyThe gazebo belongs to Sevillowes

S1051226 copyChalford Grove gained a new front in the early 1800s, but the rear was built in the 1500s

S1051291 copyHallidays Mill (from 2 sides) c. 1830, but there was a mill here in Tudor times

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Dyehouse until late 1700s

S1051293 copyA very interesting walk on a lovely day

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