Building record 248/1/1 - Church Minshull Mill

<1> Various, Cheshire History, Vol.11 p.55 (Journal/Periodical). SCH811.

A watermill site where eighteenth century mill buildings survive. First documentary reference dates from 1244.

<2> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, SJ66 SE(M) (Index). SCH2487.

<3> Various, Various, Oral communication to the HER, McKenna L 1987 (Oral Communication). SCH2330.

The mill leat and sluices survive but machinery has gone and mill buildings have been altered.

<4> Norris J.H., 1968, The Water-Powered Corn Mills of Cheshire, p.50 (Article in Journal). SCH6001.

A four-storey brick and slate mill. The earliest parts are probably of the late seventeenth or early eighteenth century with nineteenth century additions. There has been a mill on this site for 600 years. There are two large undershot waterwheels fed from a common short headrace off the River Weaver which are located side by side with a dividing wall, each driving a separate set of machinery. The sluice controls are of the drum and chain type, lifting straight wood paddles. The western side of the mill was used for corn and the eastern side was for flour. The wheels have largely of wood, but with iron hubs and wrought iron rods at the circumference. The pit wheels are cast in two parts with iron wallowers on the wooden uprights and iron great spur wheels. There were three pairs of stones to each mill and iron crown wheels for the sack hoist drives. The mill produced approximately two tons per day. The mill ceased working around 1954 when flooding loosened the masonry and jammed the sluice. Prior to this the east side wheel was used to drive an electric generator. The mill house is a half timber construction.

<5> Dodgson J McN, 1970-2, 1981, The Place-Names of Cheshire, p.156 (Book). SCH3228.

Documentary references to 'le milneheye' in 1391, 'molendinum de Munsel' in 1244 and 'two water-mills in Chirchmunshull, one on the river next to the hall of Hulgreve and the other on a dam next to the hall of Chirchemunshull' in 1343.

<6> Greenwood, C. & Greenwood J., 1819, Map of the County Palatine of Chester (Maps and Plans). SCH2115.

<7> Swire, W. & Hutchings, W. F., 1830, Map of the County Palatine of Chester (Maps and Plans). SCH2116.

<8> Bryant, A., 1831, Map of the County Palatine of Chester (Maps and Plans). SCH2114.

<9> See map for surveyor, c.1837-51, Cheshire Tithe Maps and Awards, EDT 111/2 1836 (Maps and Plans). SCH3266.

The mill house, mill building. Head race and tail race are clearly depicted. The recorded in the accompanying award as being owned by Henry Brooke and occupied by Mary White.