Description

MALDON

TL80NW ABBEY TURNING, Beeleigh
574-1/1/233 (North East side)
24/09/71 Beeleigh Steam Mill and bridge over
tail race

GV II*

Steam mill, ruins of water mill and bridge. Early C19. The
steam mill is of a mixture of red and cream Gault brick with a
hipped slate roof with blue clay ridge and hip tiles.
EXTERIOR: 2 storeys with embellished elevations to NE and SE
towards Beeleigh Falls House (qv). The SW elevation is part of
Gault and part of red brick with a series of circular tie-bar
plates. A large semicircular-arched opening faces onto a
sunken external area, providing access to the engine which is
visible within. Door opening with segmental head and further
small openings now blocked or concealed by ivy.
The short NW elevation is of Gault brick with a central small
segmental-arched opening with cast-iron window of 24 small
panes. On the north corner is the base of a former chimney,
now truncated, which wraps around on to the NE elevation.
The NE elevation has 4 broad semicircular-arched recesses with
similar 24-pane iron windows to the lower storey.
The SE elevation is similar, but with cast-iron windows to
both storeys, and of 2 semicircular-arched recesses.
The remains of the water mill to the SW consist of a
rectangular enclosure of walling of varying height with some
Gault and some red brick. Some former door and window openings
survive and 2 large chambers for former breast-shot water
wheels and 2 barge docks for unloading flour and grain. To the
SE is a bridge now giving access to former mill house,
Beeleigh Falls (qv), with red brick parapets, stone copings
and 2 semicircular arches.
INTERIOR: the steam mill is divided into 2 compartments,
separated by a brick partition. The smaller north-western part
is open to full height and contains the complete iron,
double-acting compound steam engine of 1845, by Wendworth.
Alongside is an 'Elephant' boiler with 2 safety valves and
firebox. The ground-floor chamber in the main body of the
building contains an iron upright shaft with great spur wheel,
the driving machinery and a circular-plan iron husting.
Designed to house 5 pairs of stones, the emplacements and
upper ends of drive spindles remain on the upper floor.
The former watermill was a large 5-storeyed weatherboarded
mill with 12 pairs of stones and 2 water wheels, and was
destroyed by fire in 1879.

Listing NGR: TL8396908192

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17532300

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
• 
  Drawing up a Local Listed Building Consent Order: Historic England Advice Note 6
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version
• 
  Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas