Beeleigh Steam Mill has the only remaining Elephant boiler, in situ, in the Country!
The Beam Engine is a rarity too, being one of only three remaining by Wentworth!
Beeleigh Steam Mill was large flour mill on the river Chelmer near Maldon, Essex. It had 2 water wheels driving 10 stones, to which was added a separate building which housed a steam-powered beam engine driving 5 pairs of millstones!
The main building housing the water-powered wheels burnt down in a fire in 1875.
The boiler is an “Elephant Boiler” possibly made by John Hall and Sons (later J&E Hall) of Dartford. It is believed to be the only remaining example of this type left in situ in the country.
The Wentworth engine is one of only three surviving beam engines made by this manufacturer. It is a Woolf (Arthur Woolf) compound A frame beam engine built in 1845 by Wentworth & Son, Wandsworth. It stopped in 1875 .
The Hurst is of cast iron construction and shows how developing 19th century technologies were applied to traditional flour milling processes.
The Grade II* site, now comprises the building housing the steam engine and the drive gearing for its millstones, the brick housing for one of the waterwheels, and the 2 adjacent brick-lined barge docks used for loading flour for shipment to London.
The steam mill is divided into 2 rooms, separated by a brick partition. The smaller north-western part is full height and contains the complete iron, double-acting Wentworth compound steam beam engine which was installed in 1845. Alongside is an ‘Elephant’ boiler with 2 safety valves and firebox. It is the only surviving example of this type of boiler in England, though it was more popular in France and Belgium.
The ground floor of the larger room contains the drive gears including a circular-plan iron husts with an iron upright shaft with great spur wheel, which drive each of the five pairs of stones.
The upper floor has the emplacements for the stones. The drive shafts are in place, but the stones themselves are no longer there.
Check out their website – HERE!
Here is the history of mills at Beeleigh from their website:
6th C Water Mill at Beeleigh owned by a local thane called Siward.
1085/86 Domesday Survey reports ownership passed to the Lordship of Ranulf Peverel.
1180 Beeleigh Abbey is founded by the Premonstratensian Order.
1189 Beeleigh Abbey takes possession of the Mill.
1536 ‘Suppression’ and ‘Dissolution’: Beeleigh Mill owned by Sir John Gate.
1553 Sir John transferred the Mill to William March.
1559 William Marsh’s son, Will Marsh, sold it to John Wiseman of Felsted.
1573 Beeleigh Mill leased to Thomas White of All Saints, Maldon and to the Baswickes.
1594 In Thomas Brett’s will: the Mill is bequeathed to his son John Brett.
1618 Purchased by Sir Henry Mildmay.
1700 ish The Strutt family take possession. (They also owned or leased mills at Moulsham, Springfield, Hoe Mill and Wickham Bishops).
1706 to 1747 John Strutt was the Miller. His nephew, also John Strutt, and John Crosier Snr. worked as apprentices to the Miller.
1753 Nephew John Strutt bought the Mill from his Uncle.
1774 to 1790 Nephew John Strutt was MP for Maldon.
1777 John Crozier Snr. purchased the Mill from John Strutt MP.
1793 The Navigation Company purchased the Mill for £7,150 (to ease legal difficulties caused by the construction of the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation).
1795 Beeleigh Mill sold (at a loss) to John Dunkin of Southwark.
1797 John Dunkin and his partner Mr. Stammers (of nearby Stammers Farm) rebuilt the Mill (which partially remains today).
1822 The Mill is owned by Mr. Kingsford.
1834 Mill sold to Joseph Ward of Merton Hills for £4,520.
1837 Beeleigh Mill’s Wentworth Beam Engine was manufactured and installed at an unknown location.
1840 In-line gearing installed on the south wheel drive; (John Ward advertised sale of a complete set of conventional gearing).
1845 Joseph Ward added the Steam Mill.
1845 Joseph Ward built Beeleigh Falls House.
1875 12th March – the F I R E .
The mill was abandoned after the fire, as rebuilding was considered uneconomical.
1939 (?) Christopher Cail bought the Mill and freehold land for £2,820.
1960 The site passed into the hands of Essex Water Company (who re-roofed the Steam Mill).
1970 Headrace filled in.
1971 John Booker carried out a survey.
1992 Sir Fred Dibnah visited with the BBC (for broadcast in 1996).
1994 Essex County Council aquired the lease.
1994 Maldon Archaeology Group undertook an excavation of the surface.
2007 ECC’s Field Archaeology unit evaluated the Auxiliary’s hideout.
2009 15th Oct.: Beeleigh Mill Restoration Group formed.
2017 Received a £20k Restoration Grant from the fabulous AIA to repair the stone floor. Read about it – HERE!
It only opens a couple of times per year, so keep an eye on their open day dates – HERE!
Beeleigh Steam Mill has the only remaining Elephant boiler, in situ, in the Country!
The Beam Engine is a rarity too, being one of only three remaining by Wentworth!
Beeleigh Steam Mill was large flour mill on the river Chelmer near Maldon, Essex. It had 2 water wheels driving 10 stones, to which was added a separate building which housed a steam-powered beam engine driving 5 pairs of millstones!
The main building housing the water-powered wheels burnt down in a fire in 1875.
The boiler is an “Elephant Boiler” possibly made by John Hall and Sons (later J&E Hall) of Dartford. It is believed to be the only remaining example of this type left in situ in the country.
The Wentworth engine is one of only three surviving beam engines made by this manufacturer. It is a Woolf (Arthur Woolf) compound A frame beam engine built in 1845 by Wentworth & Son, Wandsworth. It stopped in 1875 .
The Hurst is of cast iron construction and shows how developing 19th century technologies were applied to traditional flour milling processes.
The Grade II* site, now comprises the building housing the steam engine and the drive gearing for its millstones, the brick housing for one of the waterwheels, and the 2 adjacent brick-lined barge docks used for loading flour for shipment to London.
The steam mill is divided into 2 rooms, separated by a brick partition. The smaller north-western part is full height and contains the complete iron, double-acting Wentworth compound steam beam engine which was installed in 1845. Alongside is an ‘Elephant’ boiler with 2 safety valves and firebox. It is the only surviving example of this type of boiler in England, though it was more popular in France and Belgium.
The ground floor of the larger room contains the drive gears including a circular-plan iron husts with an iron upright shaft with great spur wheel, which drive each of the five pairs of stones.
The upper floor has the emplacements for the stones. The drive shafts are in place, but the stones themselves are no longer there.
Check out their website – HERE!
Here is the history of mills at Beeleigh from their website:
6th C Water Mill at Beeleigh owned by a local thane called Siward.
1085/86 Domesday Survey reports ownership passed to the Lordship of Ranulf Peverel.
1180 Beeleigh Abbey is founded by the Premonstratensian Order.
1189 Beeleigh Abbey takes possession of the Mill.
1536 ‘Suppression’ and ‘Dissolution’: Beeleigh Mill owned by Sir John Gate.
1553 Sir John transferred the Mill to William March.
1559 William Marsh’s son, Will Marsh, sold it to John Wiseman of Felsted.
1573 Beeleigh Mill leased to Thomas White of All Saints, Maldon and to the Baswickes.
1594 In Thomas Brett’s will: the Mill is bequeathed to his son John Brett.
1618 Purchased by Sir Henry Mildmay.
1700 ish The Strutt family take possession. (They also owned or leased mills at Moulsham, Springfield, Hoe Mill and Wickham Bishops).
1706 to 1747 John Strutt was the Miller. His nephew, also John Strutt, and John Crosier Snr. worked as apprentices to the Miller.
1753 Nephew John Strutt bought the Mill from his Uncle.
1774 to 1790 Nephew John Strutt was MP for Maldon.
1777 John Crozier Snr. purchased the Mill from John Strutt MP.
1793 The Navigation Company purchased the Mill for £7,150 (to ease legal difficulties caused by the construction of the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation).
1795 Beeleigh Mill sold (at a loss) to John Dunkin of Southwark.
1797 John Dunkin and his partner Mr. Stammers (of nearby Stammers Farm) rebuilt the Mill (which partially remains today).
1822 The Mill is owned by Mr. Kingsford.
1834 Mill sold to Joseph Ward of Merton Hills for £4,520.
1837 Beeleigh Mill’s Wentworth Beam Engine was manufactured and installed at an unknown location.
1840 In-line gearing installed on the south wheel drive; (John Ward advertised sale of a complete set of conventional gearing).
1845 Joseph Ward added the Steam Mill.
1845 Joseph Ward built Beeleigh Falls House.
1875 12th March – the F I R E .
The mill was abandoned after the fire, as rebuilding was considered uneconomical.
1939 (?) Christopher Cail bought the Mill and freehold land for £2,820.
1960 The site passed into the hands of Essex Water Company (who re-roofed the Steam Mill).
1970 Headrace filled in.
1971 John Booker carried out a survey.
1992 Sir Fred Dibnah visited with the BBC (for broadcast in 1996).
1994 Essex County Council aquired the lease.
1994 Maldon Archaeology Group undertook an excavation of the surface.
2007 ECC’s Field Archaeology unit evaluated the Auxiliary’s hideout.
2009 15th Oct.: Beeleigh Mill Restoration Group formed.
2017 Received a £20k Restoration Grant from the fabulous AIA to repair the stone floor. Read about it – HERE!
It only opens a couple of times per year, so keep an eye on their open day dates – HERE!
