Building record 1761/1 - Stretton Mill

<1> Norris J.H., 1968, The Water-Powered Corn Mills of Cheshire, p.53-54 (Article in Journal). SCH6001.

A most interesting mill….contains much of the old wooden machinery and of a building type of which no other complete example remains in the county. West Gable inscription date 1770. Chimney stack stone dated 1712. Indicates mill rebuilding. Stone built with timber framing. Two wheels and sets of machinery. East Wheel mounted internally and is breast shot. West wheel is mounted externally and is overshot. There is a pool to rear (now silting up) with short leat off brook, tailrace rejoining brook about 0.25 miles downstream.
( full entry has detailed description of machinery and stones)

<2> English Heritage, 2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, 403423 (Digital Archive). SCH4666.

Water-powered cornmill C16 and C17, extended C18 and C19. Weatherboarded oak frame and coursed red sandstone with brown brick leanto extension and chimney of stone and brick at rear; graded grey slate roof, stone plinth and stone replacement as part of the walls of the older (right) part of the mill.

C19 extension, left, of stone. 2 storeys plus attic grain store. External overshot wheel of timber on right gable wall. Divided boarded door of oak. 1 leaded casement and 1 iron-barred opening to lower storey and 3 leaded casements to upper storey at front; 1 leaded casement to upper storey and to attic in west gable; all have oak shutters on wrought iron hinges. East gable end has camber-arched barred opening to the internal wheel-pit with an oak boarded loading-door above flanked by small leaded and shuttered casements. 2 leaded, shuttered casements in C18 leanto at rear, and boarded door.

The chimney of stone has a diagonal flue of brick; the stonework bears carved initials and dates: IHM 1763; JOHN HUGHES; GD; HB; ?W 17?? Bargeboards; eaves have exposed rafters.

Adjoining east gable wall is a flight of stone steps up mill dam, and a stone-walled millrace with sluice.

Interior contains a breastwheel in C19 extension, left, driving a complete train of mid-Victorian largely cast iron machinery, and (right) a train of restored largely C18 wooden machinery driven by the external wheel.

On lower storey at rear is a forge-hearth.

On upper floor (reached by steep stair left of entrance) are the underdrift millstones, ancillary equipment and hoist-hatch.
In the leanto extension are carved on east side of chimney: PB; IR; IMO; 1640; EW(?); PB 1712.

Grain loft (access by ladder) in older (right) part of main building contains 2 diagonal-strut oak trusses with windbraces, chamfered oak purlins and diagonally set ridge-piece. The oak frame and kingpost truss of the former left gable (now between the older part and the C19 extension of the mill) survives. The mill machinery (restored by Dr Cyril Boucher partly at the expense of the Science Museum, in 1967) is of national importance

<3> Various, Cheshire History, 11/57 Bott O J P 1983 (Journal/Periodical). SCH811.

Stretton Mill & Steps, Millrace & Sluice adjoining, Mill Lane. First mentioned 1324

<4> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, SJ45SE(M) 1976 (Index). SCH2487.

<5> Various, Aerial photographs, Stretton 1&168 Williams S R 1977 (Aerial Photograph). SCH128.