Building record 7885 - Betchton Mill, Lower Roughwood Mill, Roughwood New Mill

<1> Anthony Walker and Partners, 1994, M6 Widening: Junctions 16-20. Report on Earthwork Survey (Client Report). SCH4294.

Mill shown on a 1777 map of Cheshire and named 'Betchton Mill'. In 1829 it is named 'Roughwood New Mill', suggesting that the older structure may have been demolished. However, there are different phases of brickwork visible in the surviving structure, indicating that the 18th century structure was at least, in part, incorporated into the later building.

In 1994 an topographical survey undertaken in advance of the proposed M6 widening scheme, recorded a leat leading to the mill from the south-east, providing its water supply. The leat is depicted with the mill on the 1840 Betchton tithe map and on OS historic mapping. The M6 motorway now bisects the leat, but it does still exist either side. It is aligned approximately north-west/south-east, running approximately 10m above the bottom of the steep slope. It is embanked on its downward slope and measures some 0.9m in width. It is heavily silted up and no longer carries water. No brickwork or lining to the leat was observed. The exact course of the leat neart the wheel house was difficult to trace and may have been carried part of the way by a wooden trough or launder.

A brief examination of the mill showed the overshot wheel to still be in sity in stagnant water as the tail race had been blocked with breeze blocks, leaving only a small outlet pipe. The course of the tail race between the mill and the stream to the south-west was not visible.

<2> Barton Howe Warren Blackledge, 1996, Lower Roughwood Mill, Hassall Green, Cheshire: Archaeological Survey, R3228 (Report). SCH6577.

Report of a building survey on the building at Lower Roughwood Mill. Carried out in 1994 by Anthony Walker and Partners.