Mildenham Mill.
basil | 11/13/2005 | 7:00 am
Circa 1918
Horse Trap built and renovated by Ncnaughts of the Tything Worcester. Royal coach builders and the Lord Mayor of Londons Golden Coach.
A busy miller and his transport.
The left hand millers wagon was the largest horse transport found in county towns and villages. A fine example is preserved at Avoncroft Museum.
A fine pencil drawing of the mill and Salwarpe.
Mr Dennis Watts entertains the Sinclair family in 1969.
Mildenham Mill Claines.
This was the last working watermill in Worcestershire ceasing trade in 1970.Almost certainly this was a Roman Mill site as the River Salwarpes Roman name derives from Sal, Salt, Warpe, Boat Hauling. To make the Salwarpe navigable to Droitwich at least five weirs would have to be constructed to raise the river level. Flash Water Gates were constructed to allow the boats to pass and the site would be ideal for constructing a mill. Hence Hawford, Mildenham, Porters, Ladywood, Salwarpe, Briar and Town Mills. Wheat was carried up from Gloucester Docks to the Barge Canal in Salt Trows returning from delivering their cargoes to Bristol, and the coast.
The mill was in the ownership of the Bill family for some generations and was known locally as Bill’s Mill.The last Miller was Mr Denis Watts, note the spelling, who retired in 1970 and had to reluctantly sell the mill to meet family death duties.Having helped Mr Watts undertake some mill restoration I was interested in purchasing as a home and possible business. However when Mrs Watts showed my wife Jocelyn the 1947 flood mark halfway up the lounge window interest was lost.
Mr Watts and Mrs Watts retired to Pembrokeshire where we visited them. He wrote out for me a millers handbook to help my work at Avoncroft Windmill and hopefully it will be published as it contains much historical interest.
The last working watermill in Herefordshire was at Cowarne Court, Much Cowarne and ceased in the 1970’s. Max
R.M.Sinclair
The Butty
Frenchlands Lane
Lower Broadheath
Worcester
Droitwich Barge Canal
John Noakes with his dog Shep is invited by canal volunteers to help them clear mud from Mildenham Mill Lock Claines, Worcester
In 1978 a group of volunteers from the Manchester Region sponsored by the BBC ‘Go with Noakes’ programme cleared about two hundred tons of silt from the chamber of Mildenham Lock 5 on the Droitwich Barge Canal. John Noakes arrived in new overalls Wellingtons and hat. The producer eventually persuaded him to enter the lock but was not happy with his pristine appearance. After a whispered word with the navies it was arranged for someone to slip and fall on him so he emerged in the right colour. The Canal Trust members were not happy when the programme was described as on a Lancashire Canal
Max
