Description

584/0/10055 EAST BAY
17-JAN-03 The Old Mill

GV II

Granary, subsequently mill for animal feed, store at time of inspection [November 2002]. Mid/late-C18 with C20 additions. Timber-framed and weatherboarded, on rebuilt brick plinth. Corrugated asbestos roof covering. Brick stack. Aligned E-W on west bank of river.
EXTERIOR: 2 storeys with loft. Loft door opening to West gable. C20 additions to East and South not of interest.
INTERIOR: Timber frame of Baltic pine, retaining primary bracing. Massive E-W chamfered spine beam supporting first floor with large oak hanging knees, both ends with finely worked stops. Incised assembly marks visible on spine beam (east end, north face) and on east gable construction in roof. Possible Baltic pine merchant's identification mark visible on tie-beam at first floor level. Roof with single purlins to each side, carried by brackets on the rafters, which are pegged at the apex. Collars have been cut-away. Rudimentary bolted scarf joint in wall plate. Re-used oak timbers throughout, especially in roof. East gable re-built in brick for C20 extension, and considerable interventions to south wall where C20 shed extends, but principle framing remains.
HISTORY: The building is identified on a watercolour of East Bridge dated c.1775 (Colchester Museum Collections) where it appears to be thatched, and is depicted as part of a 'Farm Yard' on Sparrow's Map of Colchester 1767. Interior formerly weatherboarded but removed mid-C20 when framing in-filled with brick and blockwork.

A small urban riverside agricultural building with much of its mid/late-C18 frame, including a massive stopped and chamfered spine beam of Baltic pine, and both group value and townscape value.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26633585

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 by Hunt. Roger ( 2008 ) Hardcover
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook 2 Books Bundle Collection (Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair,Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)