The oldest mill in Surrey, the west half dating from about 1680, being built on the foundations of the original 14th century mill; the east half was built in 1797. Contrary to local tradition this is not a Domesday mill site. The first reference to a mill here is in 1361 when it was left by Reginald de Cobham to his wife, Joan. The Stanford family were major occupiers of the mill in the 18th and 19th centuries. The last miller was Thomas Stanford who died in1944. The mill was purchased by Mr.Woodrow in 1949 and was opened as a museum in April 1966.
Haxted Mill (image courtesy Di Stiff)
The mill worked until 1949 when grinding ceased, but the machinery is still intact. It has been fully restored to working order and is now a museum of milling, specialising in water-milling and water-pumping. The museum houses exhibits from demolished mills in the south of England.
The water from the River Eden is ponded to the rear of the mill but, unusually, the mill does not form part of it. The waterwheel is of cast iron, overshot, with a diameter of 10ft and a width of 8ft; replacement buckets were fitted in 1968. The mill contains three pairs of french burr stones, but there is also in situ another pair located away from the upright shaft. This pair of stones was overdriven from a shaft off the crown wheel but, when put into operation, the extra power required brought the mill to a standstill; this pair of stones was promptly abandoned.
Click here to see the Historic Environment Record (HER) for Haxted Mill.
Click here to read more about the Historic Environment Record.
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