Monument record 1481/1 - Bollin Mill

<1> Bott O J P, 1983, Cornmill sites in Cheshire 1066-1850 Part 2, p.56 (Article in Journal). SCH6105.

Molendium de Bolyne 1246: '...This may be the site now occupied by Gibbons builders yard, the most likely location, but the tithe map for Pownall Fee, Wilmslow shows a watermill then in use at Weir Eyes (SJ 844 817, see CHER 2898) between Twinnies Bridge and the A34 bridge; and the field names adjoining a tributary of the Bollin north-east of Twinnies Bridge suggests that there may have been a watermill there…'

<2> Norris J.H., 1968, The Water-Powered Corn Mills of Cheshire, p.62 (Article in Journal). SCH6001.

The 19th century mill building now forms part of a builder's yard. The leat, now dry, can be traced from the weir with its wood sluice frame and paddle and along the side of the bank and under the road to Wilmslow Park and then into the builder's yard. The wheel is said to have been in until 1955, and was overshot of 12' x 10' with a triple row of wooden spokes mounted on an iron shaft with iron rims and wooden buckets.

<3> Ashmore, O, 1982, The Industrial Archaeology of North West England, p.70 (Book). SCH3181.

A four storey nineteenth century building survives. It was powered by an over-shot waterwheel which was removed c.1955. The mill ceased production in 1949.

<4> See map for surveyor, c.1837-51, Cheshire Tithe Maps and Awards, EDT 53/2, 1841 (Maps and Plans). SCH3266.

Depicted on the 1841 tithe map and recorded as a Mill, Garden, Croft etc.

<5> Ordnance Survey, 1871-1882, Ordnance Survey County Series (Epoch 1) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire, SJ8481, 1874 (Maps and Plans). SCH2462.

Wilmslow Mill (corn).

<6> Cheshire County Council, 2002, Cheshire Historic Towns Survey: Macclesfield Borough Part 1: Archaeological Assessments, p.76 (Report). SCH6978.

‘…Richard Fitton was granted permission in 1335 by his father John, to erect a mill on the stream of the Bolyn in the vill of Morley. This, Earwaker suggests is ‘..in what is at present a large willow bed, not far from the junction of the two rivers the Bollin and the Dean, at Twinney Bridge..’ (see CHER 1478/1).

Bott (see 1) suggests that the earliest reference to a corn mill at Wilmslow dates back to 1246. He states that this may have been a forerunner of Barbers silk mill on the Carrs (Weir Eyes), may have been on a tributary of the Bollin north-east of Twinneys Bridge or, most likely, it is located on the site of the nineteenth century corn mill, north of Bollin Walk…’