Harefield: Mills

MILLS.

There were two mills in the manor in 1086, (fn. 1) which probably stood on the River Colne. Hackett's water-mill was held from the lady of the manor at the end of the 12th century, (fn. 2) and remained in the Hackett family for over a century. (fn. 3) A tenement called Hacketts, which stood on the bank of the Colne with a water-mill, was subject to various conveyances between 1436 and 1467. (fn. 4) Richard of Batchworth, lord of the manor, owned a mill on the Colne in Harefield in 1310, which seems to have stood above Hackett's Mill. (fn. 5) The rights in an unspecified mill were quitclaimed to Simon Swanlond in 1346. (fn. 6)

The Ravening family granted their water-mill to Simon Swanlond in 1345. (fn. 7) This may have been the fulling mill owned by William Swanlond in 1370. (fn. 8) The mill had passed from the Swanlonds by the end of the 14th century. (fn. 9) At this time it became attached to the tenement of Knightcotes, (fn. 10) and in 1438 the mill, described as a fulling mill, was rebuilt. The contract specifies that the old mill was to be underpinned and the old timber removed; new floodgates and all other necessary equipment were to be made and provided. (fn. 11) Ravening Mill was still a fulling mill in 1511 when it was held as copyhold of the manor of Harefield. (fn. 12) Its position is rather obscure, but as it is linked with Knightcotes and Ravenings, both of which were situated in the east of the parish, it is most likely to have stood on the stream that runs from Battleswell to Dewes Farm. In 1512 there was said to be a bridge between the house called the fulling mill and Ravening's land. (fn. 13) There was still a fulling mill in the village in 1521. (fn. 14) By 1536, although Ravenings was included in a rental of the manor, its mill was not mentioned.

A water-mill belonging to Gapes tenement was included in the rental in 1536. (fn. 15) Gapes Mill was described as a fulling mill in 1545 when it was held at will from the lord, (fn. 16) but it was either disused or demolished by 1560. This mill was situated on 'the Colney stream', a subsidiary stream running south of the Colne in the north-west corner of the parish, and Gapes House next to it (fn. 17) probably occupied the site of the later Nokes (fn. 18) or Springwell (fn. 19) Farm.

A corn water-mill stood on the demesne in 1559 and was held by the lord; (fn. 20) Harefield Mill, probably the same one, was standing in 1564. (fn. 21) There was still a demesne water-mill in 1593, (fn. 22) which had been increased to two water-mills by 1601. (fn. 23) In 1636 Harefield Mill on the manorial estate stood on the site of the later copper and asbestos works. (fn. 24) The corn mill was rebuilt sometime before 1674, (fn. 25) and by 1692 was declared to have been a corn mill for more than 60 years. (fn. 26) In 1674 there was also a 'lately built' paper mill, which in 1683 was rented from the Newdigates. (fn. 27) Two mills seem to have existed at least until 1710, (fn. 28) and in 1754 Rocque shows the paper mill to be where the corn mill formerly stood, and the corn mill to be further downstream. (fn. 29) In 1752 the mills were sold by the Newdigates, (fn. 30) and became part of the Cooke estate. The paper mill was said to be still there in 1777 and during the 18th century to be producing white paper. (fn. 31) In 1781 the late paper and corn mills were let to the Mines Royal Company (fn. 32) who converted them into copper mills in 1803. (fn. 33) In 1845, however, there were also paper and corn mills in Harefield, and millers continue to appear in the directories. (fn. 34) The flour mill was situated at Jack's Lock (fn. 35) and was still in use in 1897. (fn. 36) The copper mills ceased working in the 1860's and were reconverted in 1870 into a paper mill, (fn. 37) which was still there in 1876. (fn. 38) By 1890, however, these mills had been converted into an asbestos works which survived until the 1920's. (fn. 39) In 1959 they were occupied by three rubber firms.