Monument record 1203/1/1 - Arley Mill

<1> Norris J.H., 1968, The Water-Powered Corn Mills of Cheshire, p.49 (Article in Journal). SCH6001.

‘…The mill building; is probably of the sixteenth century. Certainly it is one of the oldest in the county; the building is of three storeys, brick with slate roof and built into the dam with a long sloped extension roof to the front. There are two wheels and most of the machinery, but the building is in a poor condition, particularly at the north end. There is a covered entrance on the dam road direct into the roof space which was used for grain storage. The main entrance is on the downstream side. The mill stopped in December 1944 when the south wheel collapsed and the large pool is now silted up.

South Wheel: 12' 0" x 5' 0" bucket wheel comprising two sets of 6" wood spokes mounted on the ribbed iron wheel and shaft of 15" diameter. The pit wheel, wallower, great spur wheel and vertical shaft are all of iron. There are two pairs of underdrift stones 4' 6" in diameter.

North Wheel: situated at approximately the centre of the present building is 13' 0" diameter x 5' 0" with stone bearings for the wooden upright shaft. The pit wheel and wallower is of iron and the great spur wheel is a six-arm wood compass type with iron segment teeth. The upright shaft is of wood with an unusual pintle on the lower bearing end. It is possible that the. lower end of the shaft was damaged and a locally made tapered extension cage has been fitted to maintain the original length…’

<2> Bott O J P, 1983, Cornmill sites in Cheshire 1066-1850 Part 2, p.59 (Article in Journal). SCH6105.

The site of a watermill at Arley Hall mentioned in documents dating from 1313 and 1500. The mill was demolished in the 1960s.

<3> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, SJ68 SE(M) (Index). SCH2487.

<4> Bryant, A., 1831, Map of the County Palatine of Chester (Maps and Plans). SCH2114.

The mill is depicted and named on this map. It is located at the eastern end of Arley Pool.

<5> Greenwood, C. & Greenwood J., 1819, Map of the County Palatine of Chester (Maps and Plans). SCH2115.

<6> See map for surveyor, c.1837-51, Cheshire Tithe Maps and Awards, EDT 24/2 1846 (Maps and Plans). SCH3266.

This map depicts the mill building on the mill dam with the mill pond (Arley Pool) to the west. The mill cottage is located to the immediate south. There are two tail races and one overflow leat. The latter is located to the north of the mill building. The plot is described as a house, water corn mill and part of coppice. The occupier is James Woods.

<7> Ordnance Survey, 1871-1882, Ordnance Survey County Series (Epoch 1) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire, SJ6880, 1877 (Maps and Plans). SCH2462.

This map depicts the mill dam as an earthwork with a road or lane running across the top of it. The slices and short headraces which brought water to the mill building located on the dam are clearly depicted, as are the two tail races located to the east of the mill. The position of the waterwheels can be inferred from their location. To the north of the mill building and at the end of the dam is the sluice and overflow leat for the mill pond (Arley Pool). The mill is labelled Arely Mill (corn) and the mill house is depicted to the south of the mill and dam.

<8> Huntings Surveys Ltd, 1971-1973, 1971-1973 County Survey, Run 30 no.2212, 16/05/1973 (Aerial Photograph). SCH4881.

The mill pond has silted up and the mill building is still extant, but possibly without a roof.

<9> Various, Various, Oral communication to the HER, Edwards R, 18/05/2020 (Oral Communication). SCH2330.

It is probable that the original mill pond was extended to to create Arley Pool.

<10> Environment Agency, 2003-2020, Environment Agency LiDAR Surveys, Composite DTM 1m (18/05/2020) (Digital Archive). SCH7819.

The mill dam is clearly visible as a substantial earthwork. A modern break in the dam is clearly visible at it's northern end. The tail races and the footprint of the mill building survive as slighter earthworks.