A History of Mills at Havant,

Langstone and Brockhampton

The weir and wheel pit of the Brockhampton mill in 2004, it is now

somewhat overgrown. Photograph John Pile

By

Jennifer Bishop

2018

£6

2

Borough of Havant History Booklet No. 81

Read this and all other booklets on line at:

the spring/heritage/local-history-booklets/

My thanks to Ann Griffiths, Ralph Cousins, and John Pile for

their continuing help and support. And to John Reger and

David Jordan for allowing me to use their illustrations.

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The History of Brockhampton Mill

Jennifer Bishop

Brockhampton Mill was situated on the Brockhampton Stream where it

meets the sea; this stream was fed from springs in what are now the grounds

of Portsmouth Water Company’s head office. It was the largest mill in the

area.

Ordnance Survey Map of late 1890s

4

The plaque positioned on the bridge which forms part of the Wayfarer’s Walk

footpath. Photograph J. Bishop

5

The brick tidal basin where barges were loaded. Restored by Havant Borough

and Hampshire County Councils. Photographs J. Bishop

Today this bridge leads nowhere but there is some evidence that it could

have been a lifting bridge. Although not thought to have been present when

the mill was in operation the miller would have required access to both sides

of this inlet.

6

The wharf used by the Sea Angling Club in the tidal inlet. Photograph J. Bishop

The first known mention of Brockhampton Mill is in the Domesday Book1

where it states Havant had two mills. Brockhampton was a separate manor

and described as having one mill, both manors being in the possession of the

monks of St Swithuns. In 1284 ownership of both manors was conveyed to

the Bishopric of Winchester in exchange for certain privileges such as

holding a weekly market and an annual fair. The Bishop of Winchester's

lands in Havant were seized by the Parliamentary commissioners and sold in

1647 to William Woolgar who was lord of the manor throughout the period

of the Commonwealth. Upon the restoration of Charles II in 1660 Havant was

returned to the Bishop and Woolgar was admitted to the manor as tenant.

Brockhampton Mill, thereafter, remained in the possession of the Bishopric

until it was sold to Portsmouth Water Company.

7

The Domesday Book records 14 households in Brockhampton:1

14 Villagers.

3 Ploughlands (lands for) 4 men’s plough teams.

4 Acres meadow.

Woodland 20 swine render. (An amount paid in kind to the Lord of the

Manor for grazing rights in his woodland.)

1 Mill.

In the 14th century, 1301-2, the Bishopric accounts kept at Winchester2 give

us an insight into the life at the mill where it states:

ALLOWANCES of the bailiff for building anew the mill of Brockhampton

for all costs with one millstone bought and with 8s. 8d given to the

Marshall of the King. TOTAL - £12 5s. 2d.

It goes on to say, iron and steel bought for the bills of the said mill with the

stipend of the smith repairing said bills 3s. 10d.

A bill was a tool made of strengthened steel set in a wooden handle that was

used for dressing the millstones.

8

In shoeing 4 plough horses with the stipend of the smith for the year 4s.

10d., one basket bought 1d., one wooden hoop bought for said mill 1s.

1½d. Total - 9s. 10½d.

These expenses were made before the renovation of the mill that year.

Other entries in the accounts showed the Bishopric tenant farmers were

compelled to take their grain to the Bishop’s mill or incur a fine. This grain

was wheat, barley or malt and was transported to the mill by cart or barge

using the tidal basin where it was milled into flour or meal and made

available to the Lord for sale; this was called the ‘Issue’. The miller and

tenant farmer were allowed to retain a portion in payment.

Issue for the year 1301-2:

Wheat 5 qtrs.

Barley 8 qtrs. all sold.

Coarse ground wheat 12½ qtrs. all sold.

Malt 20 qtrs. all sold.

8 pints = 1 gallon. 2 gallons = 1 peck. 4 pecks = 1 bushel.

8 bushels = 1 quarter.

The annual accounts of the 15th century 1409-10 states under costs:

In steeling and sharpening the bills of the said mill for the year 1s. 6d., in

shoeing 2 mares 4s., in 2 halters bought 2d., in mending and trimming the

broken waterwheel of the said mill again by piece work 8d., in nails bought

for the same 4d. In hiring 1 carpenter for 3 days to make anew from the

lord’s timber 3 gates called floodgates which are broken again 1s. 3d., in

nails bought for the same 6d., in 1 weel bought 4d. TOTAL - 8s. 9d.

A weel was a willow basket attached to the floodgates for catching fish and

eels.

The total returns for this year was £13 19s. 6d.2

9

In the 15th/16th century the feudal system, which defined the relationship of

the Bishop of Winchester to his tenants, began to change. It was undermined

by the Black Death and the Hundred Years War between France and England.

Brockhampton Mill was replaced again in the 17-18th century and it is

thought this later brick and tile building stood on the same site. It covered

some 10 customary acres, equivalent to 6⅔ statute acres, comprising the

mill, mill house, cottages, outbuildings and water meadows. In

advertisements it is said there were ‘3 or 4 pair stones’ and to have been a

working mill until about the 1870s.

The miller required a variety of skills and a comprehensive understanding of

the milling process, machinery, and the forces that drove it. In order to grind

the grain into flour the following adjustments must be made: control of the

water flow, setting the stones and feeding the grain.

At Brockhampton it would seem the flow of water was controlled by the

flood gates and dams. The waterwheel was overshot. Maximum speed was

around 10rpm.

The distance between the rotating (runner) mill stone over the fixed (bed)

stone was set by adjusting the bottom shaft bearing with the bridge tree,

using a screw. The grade of the flour would be determined by this.

Feeding the right quantity of grain into the mill stones was set by adjusting

the shaker shoe under the hopper. This also affected the grade of the flour.

The feed had to be continuous or the mill stones would get overheated and

possibly damaged and they were very expensive.

Every 100 to 200 tons of grain, the mill stones had to be removed and have

their surfaces roughened and the grooves recut as they became smooth with

use. This was a very skilled job as the stones must remain perfectly flat.

10

This advertisement in the Hampshire Telegraph of 11 June 1838 by

Longcrofts Auctioneers on behalf of Newman Coote gives us a good

description of the later Brockhampton Mill.4

HANTS AND SUSSEX

TO MILLERS, MERCHANTS & OTHERS

Valuable CORN MILL called "Brockhampton Mill,” with never failing

stream of water, comfortable Dwelling House, three good water

meadows, about ten customary acres, with suitable outbuildings, situate

Brockhampton, in the Parish of Havant with immediate possession. Also

two freehold brick and thatched Cottages, with good gardens, situate at

Highly, in the Parish of Siddlesham, in the County of Sussex.

TO be SOLD by AUCTION, by Mr. KING, at the Bear Inn, Havant, on

Saturday the 23rd day of June, 1838, at four o'clock in the afternoon,

subject to such conditions of sale as shall then and there be produced.—

The following truly valuable PROPERTY, by order of the Trustees of Mr.

Newman Coote;—

Lot I.—Comprises a very desirable Brick and Tiled overshot CORN MILL

driving four pair of stones, with a never-failing stream of water, capable

of grinding 20 loads of wheat per week, with capital drying kiln, with

flour and smut machines*, granaries or store rooms, capable of holding

100 loads of wheat, or thereabouts; together with a comfortable brick

and tiled Dwelling-House, comprising; parlour, kitchen, pantry, and

wash-house, with four bed-rooms, good garden, planted with fruit trees,

detached stable for three horses, cow pens, piggeries, good waggon

house, &c. Also three good water meadows, containing ten acres or

thereabouts, customary measure of 107 rods to the acre.

Lot 2.—Two freehold brick and thatched COTTAGES with good gardens,

situate at Highly, in the parish of Siddlesham, in the county of Sussex,

now in the occupation of Messrs. Hart and Lush, at the yearly rent of 9l.

4s.

11

N.B.—The Mill is very advantageously situate for business, surrounded by

excellent markets, with good roads; vessels of easy draught of water may

load or unload alongside the Premises, and the contemplated Docks in

Langstone Harbour, materially enhance the value of this property.

The whole of Lot 1 (except one Acre of the Meadow) is held by Lease for

three lives, under the Bishop of Winchester. The excepted Acre is

Copyhold of the Manor of Havant.

For view apply on the Premises, and for further particulars to C. B.

Longcroft, Solicitor, Havant; or the Auctioneer, Emsworth; if by letter

post-paid.

*The invention of the Smut machine was largely attributed to American

inventors, but on the Norfolk Mills website I found an advertisement of a

windmill for sale listing a Smut machine on its inventory in 1834. The

smut machine consisted of a fan, blast passages, a scouring device and

screens.

When the grain arrived at the mill from the farms it contained dust, dirt,

stones etc. and needed to be cleansed of impurities before it could be used.

In the middle nineteenth century this was achieved by means of a Smut

machine.

Buying a millstone was a major expense and a tenant miller would rarely be

able to afford such a large outlay as this could exceed the cost of a year’s

lease. It was usually written into the lease that replacing worn out millstones

was the responsibility of the Lord. At this time it was the Bishopric of

Winchester who regularly bought expensive French stones for mills in his

Hampshire manors, the cost of transporting such heavy stones from the ports

adding to the overall cost.5

In the 13th and 14th century Brockhampton Mill was one of the Bishopric’s

most profitable mills despite this cost.

Also included in the lease together with the mill stones were, mill wheels,

cogs, congs, (floats about 3 inches long), dams, bays, flood hatches, bolting

12

mills, sack tackle and other, the furniture belonging and the miller's house,

barn or cart and woodhouse and the mill pond being at Brockhampton in the

parish of Havant in the county of Hampshire.2

Whilst the Bishopric supplied the millstones under the terms of the lease the

mill appears to have remained profitable throughout the centuries as shown

in the advertisement below. A mill driving three pairs of stones would have a

good order book. But this practice was to come to an end with the sale of the

mill.

This advertisement of 31 October 1808 verifies three pair of stones:

TO MILLERS AND OTHERS

To be LETT, and entered on Christmas next, all that good and well-

known WATER CORN MILL, called Brockhampton Mill, driving three pair

of stones, and now in full employ; together with about Ten Acres Water

Meadow thereto adjoining, situated within a mile of Havant, and in the

centre of the large and populous towns of Portsmouth and Chichester.

The contiguity of the above premises to the harbour of Langstone

renders them truly eligible, as vessels can load and unload within a short

distance of the said Mill. The premises are in all respects well calculated

for carrying on a large and extensive trade in either corn or paper. – For

particulars apply to Mr. Power or Messrs White, Havant.

Salisbury and Winchester Journal,

Salisbury, Wiltshire.

Having already acquired the lessees’ interest in 1863 the Portsmouth Water

Company renewed the lease from Winchester Bishopric Estate. They then

applied to the House of Commons Ways and Means Committee for

permission to raise money and expand the business in order to provide safe

drinking water to local communities. To be able to achieve this, among other

measures, they wanted to take water from the Brockhampton Stream. It was

deemed that this would render the mill useless.

13

They renewed the lease again in 1867 and advertised it to let on 10 October

1868 in the Hampshire Advertiser.

We can see from the list of millers on page 22 that in 1870 the person who

took this agreement was a William Battell. He was described as a Cornfactor

and Mealman, although at this time the mill machinery must have been in

working condition. Following this purchase all subsequent tenants seem to

be carters and corn merchants who used the premises as a store and

stabling. This marked the end of milling at Brockhampton.

The notice below appeared in the Hampshire Telegraph of 2 October 1868:

TO MILLERS, CONTRACTORS, AND OTHERS

WATERMILL AND LAND TO LET. THE DIRECTORS OF THE BOROUGH OF

PORTSMOUTH WATER WORKS COMPANY are prepared to let by

TENDER the BROCKHAMPTON MILL, with TWO COTTAGES and pasture

land (water meadows) adjoining the same, as recently in the occupation

of Mr. Caldwell, from the 1st of November next for seven years,

determinable at, the end of the first three or five years, upon the terms of

a draft agreement, which can be seen at the Secretary's office.

Sealed Tenders, stating the yearly rent offered, to be addressed to the

Directors, and left at the Secretary's office at or before noon on FRIDAY,

the 16th of October, with the name of a surety who will enter into a bond

for the payment of the rent and performance of the covenants. The

Directors do not bind themselves to accept any tender. By order of the

Director,

R. W. FORD, Secretary to the Company.

Portsmouth, 2nd October, 1868.

Portsmouth Water Company applied to the House of Commons Ways and

Means Committee in 1867-8 in order to amend the current Act of Parliament

which would allow them to expand their business.

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IN PARLIAMENT, SESSION 1868.

BOROUGH OF PORTSMOUTH WATER WORKS

(maintenance of certain existing works, additional works and lands,

and source of supply. Further money powers- amendment of Acts.)

In the excerpt below it states also to purchase and acquire, compulsory or

otherwise, mills, lands, houses and goes on to say and to vary or extinguish

any rights or privileges connected therewith.

To purchase or acquire compulsory or otherwise and to take on lease and

take grants of easement over any lands, houses, springs, waters, water

rights, and other hereditaments, requisite or necessary for any of the

purposes aforesaid, and also to purchase and acquire, compulsory or

otherwise, mills, lands, houses, waters and water rights, in the said

parishes of Havant, Bedhampton and Farlington, and to vary or

extinguish any rights or privileges connected therewith, and any other

rights or privileges, inconsistent with the objects of the Bill and to confer

other rights and privileges.

These notices appeared in the Portsmouth Times and Naval Gazette on 23

November 1867.

It is not known exactly when The Borough of Portsmouth Water Company

bought Brockhampton Mill but an annual shareholder meeting of Portsmouth

Water Company showed a purchase entered in the accounts of year 1871.

However it was to have a devastating effect on not only Brockhampton Mill

but other local mills as The Borough of Portsmouth Water Company now

owned all the water rights and could extract at will.

The following article from the Portsmouth Evening News outlines the

Portsmouth Water Company's application to The House of Commons.

Published in the Hampshire Telegraph and Sussex Chronicle of 2 May 1868.

The bill to authorise the Borough of Portsmouth Waterworks Company

to make and maintain works in connection with their present

15

waterworks, and to raise more money, and for other purposes, came

before the Chairman of Ways and Means, in the House of Commons, on

Thursday.

The preamble of the bill recites that the company was incorporated with

a share capital of 80,000l. divided into 8,000 shares of 10l. each, and was

authorised to purchase the undertaking of the company of proprietors of

the Portsmouth and Farlington Waterworks, or to construct new

waterworks, and to borrow on mortgage or bond sums not exceeding in

the whole 20,000l.; that the company accordingly purchased the said

undertaking; that the company were, by the Act of 1861, authorised to

raise further sums not exceeding 40,000l. by the creation of new shares,

and to borrow on mortgage any sums not exceeding in the whole 9,000l.;

that it is expedient that the company be authorised to maintain and to

make, or complete and maintain, the several works by this Act

authorised, and to acquire additional lands, water, and water rights, for

the purpose of their undertaking; that the company have raised and

expended the whole of the sums which they wore authorised to raise,

except a small portion thereof, and it is expedient that they be authorised

to raise more money for the purposes of their undertaking; that whereas

the company, under the authority of their existing acts, now draw their

supply from the Havant springs and Brockhampton stream, and will

under the Act obtain a further supply from that source, and

Brockhampton-mill will be thereby deteriorated, and may be rendered

useless, the company have acquired the lessees' interest in the said mill

and certain lands held therewith, and it is expedient that they should

acquire the other estates and interests therein. The bill, by section 4

proposes to replace so much of the original Act as relates to the purchase

of Brockhampton-mill and the lands held therewith. Section 5 empowers

the company from time to time to take and use for the purposes of their

undertaking all or any of the lands shown on the deposited plans, and all

or any of the waters in those lands, and the waters of the Bedhampton

stream and Brockhampton stream, and of any other streams or brooks

shown on the deposited plans. The sixth section empowers the company

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to make the works authorised by the Act. The seventh section provides

that:

The works by this Act authorised to be maintained, and to be made

or completed, and maintained and renewed respectively, and the things

by this Act authorised to be done by the Company comprise the following

works and things, that is;

An existing conduit or line of pipes, commencing at Brockhampton,

in the Parish of Havant, in the County of Southampton, and terminating

in the Parish of Farlington, in the same County, at a point in the Ports-

mouth and Chichester Turnpike-road, at, or near, the end of the

FarIington Waterworks Lane.

Another conduit or line of pipes to commence and terminate at, or near,

the same points as the said existing conduit or line of pipes.

Two reservoirs on Portsdown Hill in the said parish of Farlington.

A conduit, or line of pipes, commencing from and out of those reservoirs,

and terminating in the said turnpike road at or near the end of the

Farlington Waterworks Lane.

A conduit, or line of pipes, commencing at or near Bedhampton Corn Mill,

and terminating in the said reservoirs on Portsdown Hill.

To collect, take, divert and to appropriate and use for the purposes of the

Bill and intended works, the waters which the company are by this act

authorised to take, and the providing of pumping engines and other

works for the purposes aforesaid.

The eighth section provides for the application of moneys generally. The

ninth authorises the company to raise additional capital not exceeding

60,000l. The tenth provides that the money so borrowed may be

converted into preferential capital. The other clauses of the bill provide

that the new shares shall not he issued until one-fifth thereof are paid up;

that the company may, in addition to their authorised loans, borrow on

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mortgage in respect of every 10,000l. of the additional share capital of

60,000l., any sums not exceeding in the whole 2,500l. secures the priority

of existing railways; that the period for the compulsory purchase of land

shall not extend beyond three years, and the period for the completion of

the works shall be within seven years of the passing of the Act.

The various clauses were agreed to, with some verbal amendments, and

the bill was ordered to be reported to the House.

This Ordnance Survey Map of 1842-52 gives us a clearer idea of the layout of

the mill.

Extracts dated 1893 from the 1842 Havant Tithe Apportionment states:

Lands belonging to Borough of Portsmouth Water Works Company.6

Photographs J. Bishop.

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This portion taken from the tithe map indicates the positioning and shape of

the mill straddling the stream. From the legend we can identify these areas.

The road showing in the top right corner is Southmoor Lane.

767 = Kitchen garden. 768 = Yard. 769 = Water meadow.

770 = Millpond. 771 = Water meadow. 772 = Yard & road to mill.

772a = Water meadow. 773 = Tidal inlet.

From the evidence of a garden we could assume the brick and tile miller’s

house sat at the eastern end of the building, from a southern aspect it would

have been on the right hand side. Adjoining this would have been the brick

and tile wheelhouse and mill straddling the stream together with a culvert

where the Brockhampton Stream ran out into the brick sided tidal basin. We

can also see from the maps where the road, yard, woodshed, cart store, weir

and millpond were situated. The present day reconstruction masks the

original layout, the footbridge today being where the north wall of the mill

building would have been.

19

I can only find evidence of one known image of this mill; an oil painting by

the late Martin Snape an accomplished artist from Gosport. This article in the

Isle of Wight Observer on the 25 August 1888 mentions it:

The Snape family are well represented – no less than three of them send

pictures, all good. Alverstoke Church in Winter by A. C. Snape, some sheep

in the snow in a field behind the church (oils), is a very crisp and telling

representation, and so is Lumps Mill Southsea (watercolour).

Brockhampton Mill, by M. Snape, is a clever bit, but his most admirable

work was the Vermin Pole (a large watercolour), a number of dead birds

(owls, kestrels etc.), nailed to a pole in the woods.

This Ordnance Survey Map of 1842-52 gives us a clearer idea of the layout of

the mill.

Brockhampton Millers throughout the years

The following table, composed by evidence found in various records but it is

not complete, shows the leaseholders, tenants, owners or employees of this

mill through time. A Miller was likely the tenant or leaseholder; a

Journeyman was a miller or skilled worker working for an employer.

20

21

Cross section of a watermill drawn by Pippa Miller3

22

A catalogue for an exhibition at The Royal Academy where Martin Snape

exhibited in 1887 listing his oil painting of Brockhampton Mill.

23

The footbridge over the Brockhampton Stream as it is today (2017) forming

part of both the Wayfarers Way and the Solent Way. Photograph J. Bishop.

The demise of this mill was due to the Portsmouth Water Company acquiring

the water rights compounded by cheap imports of grain undermining prices

against the rising costs of manufacture. From 1815- 1846 measures were

put in place to restrict imports. This was supported by the Tories and rich

landowners in order to keep prices high, and made basic foods like bread and

flour more expensive.

The Anti Corn Law League led by Richard Cobden was mainly responsible for

turning public opinion against this and in 1846 the law was repealed.

This in turn prompted an increase in cheaper imports but the threat to

British mills took about 25 years to take full effect, by which time transport

became cheaper and faster due to the development of the railways,

steamboats and the modernisation of agricultural machinery. Cheaper

imports meant cheap imported flour and flour based products. As this took

effect many flour and corn mills went into decline including Brockhampton.

The last known miller at Brockhampton was around 1866-67.

24

During 1931/2 Portsmouth Water Company produced a schedule of its land

a portion of which is shown below.6 The mill property has become smaller,

the mill no longer straddled the Brockhampton stream and the only buildings

listed as being stables with four loose boxes and store. It would seem the mill

machinery had been removed at an earlier date. Photograph J. Bishop.

From the 1930s onwards these were rented by a Mr Rice John Tucker for

pastureland for his herd of Guernsey cows.

25

1930s photograph courtesy of Mr P. Tucker. His aunts are seated up on the

wall above the waterfall, with two unidentified children below.

His Grandson writes:

My Grandfather, Rice john Tucker, moved to Havant about 1905 and had

a wheelwright, wagon and joinery business in West Street. He also owned

Great Meadows Farm, Brockhampton, and together with my father, had

a Guernsey herd and a milk round business (Tucker’s Dairy) in Havant.

They also rented a large area of land from Stents Glove Factory around

Great Meadows, down to the sea, near what was then Havant Refuse Tip,

including Budd’s Farm, Hart Farm, the Convent Orchard and the remains

of the former Brockhampton Mill.

Most of Brockhampton Mill had been demolished a long time before I was

born.

My one strong memory was of the ‘waterfall’ as we called it, which was

part of the original structure housing the mill waterwheel. You could

26

always hear the exciting and frightening sound of the waterfall from

quite a distance as you approached the fields.

The one building I remember, that which remained in the 1940s and 50s,

was used as a bad weather/night shelter for our cattle when they grazed

on the fields around there. That building is on the left of the photograph.

In 1946 the Portsmouth Water Company sold off land to the south of their

headquarters in Brockhampton Road and an envelope found in their archives

was labelled Brockhamton Mill but upon closer inspection contained

conveyancing for a plot to the north of the mill. So I suspect the land the mill

had occupied was also sold at this time. This land was to become the bridge

in Brockhampton Road which spans the bypass and of course the bypass

itself which opened in 1965. When the flyover was built the road layout

altered, formerly the Brockhampton Stream ran on the east side of

Brockhampton Road through a body of water called Broadwater north of

Brookside Road. The road was moved to the east and today the

Brockhampton Stream runs on the west side. A short stretch of the original

road can still be found where it meets Harts Farm Way.

The steps leading down to the tidal inlet. This is the point the cart track

which led from the mill terminated. Photograph J. Bishop

27

The rings were for lifting the concrete slabs which form part of the path

today. Photograph J. Bishop

Weels (willow baskets) attached to floodgates as eel traps.

28

Brockhampton Mill.

To be Disposed of by Private Contract, with immediate possession the

remainder of a LEASE of all that WATER CORN MILL called

BROCKHAMPTON MILL situate within a mile of Havant, together with

about ten Acres of Water Meadow adjoining. The above Mill will be found

well worth the attention of any Person inclined to enter into the Meal

Business, it being in excellent repair and capable of carrying on an

extended Trade. Further particulars may be had by applying to Mr,

George Lewer at Cosham; or to:

Mr. STEVENS,

Solicitor, Havant.

Hampshire Telegraph, and Sussex Chronicle, 3 March 1806

BOROUGH OF PORTSMOUTH WATERWORKS COMPANY,

WATER CORN MILL

To LET, - All that WATER CORN MILL (with four pairs of stones),

Cottages, Out-buildings, and Premises, situate near Havant, called the

“Brockhampton Mill”, together with the MEADOW LAND adjoining

thereto (about eight acres), the largest portion being Water Meadow,

formerly belonging to and occupied by Messrs Snook, and now occupied

by Mr. West.

For terms and particulars apply to the undersigned on or before Friday,

the 15th inst. The Mill can be seen by leave of the present tenant, and

possession had forthwith on arrangement with him, or on the 29th

September next.

By order of the Directors

R, W. FORD, Secretary.

Portsmouth, 1st May, 1863.

29

Havant Town Mill

Havant Town Mill in operation, early 1900s.

In the Domesday Survey of 10661 it states the manor of Havant had two

mills; one is believed to be South Mill at Langstone the precise location of the

second is unproved. It is my belief based on the water source that this second

mill was on the site of Havant Town Mill which was fed by both the

Homewell Spring and the spring which now lies beneath the two storey car

park in Park Road South and the Lavant stream. In the Parish and Liberty of

Havant7 where it says Havant had two mills it states: these seem to be

represented later by South Mill and Assehewell (Ashwell) Mill. The place-name

Ashwell is quite common and means ‘the spring by the ash trees suggesting

that the mill was on a stream fed by a spring or springs. Also in the Hundred

of Bosmere8 it reads and the other stood on the site of that now occupied by the

town mill.

30

1880s Ordnance Survey map showing the millpond and the Lavant Stream

and various springs which fed it.

31

Photograph by courtesy of Hampshire Cultural Trust Copyright10

Further potential evidence can be found in an article on Havant’s Mills

published in the Portsmouth Evening News January 1933 where it states:

The Havant Town mill, the property of Mrs. E. R. Longcroft of Hall Place is

the only one still working. It has a breaststroke wheel, and was rebuilt by

John Crasweller in 1822 on the site of a much older mill, in all probability

the Lymbourne Manorial Mill. The stream which supplies this mill is the

Lavants, to which is added the water from the celebrated Homewell

springs, of parchment making fame. This mill is also mentioned in the

Domesday Survey.

The millpond was fed by water from the Lavant Stream and various nearby

springs. The principal ones being the Homewell Spring, one at the rear of the

later Clarke’s steam mill in Park Road South, one at Spring Gardens and the

one now under the multi-storey car park in Bulbeck Road. The Langstone

Gate building now stands on the major part of the millpond but the top

north-east of it still exists to the east of Park Road South.

32

A view of the millpond looking southwards towards the mill. Photograph by

courtesy of Hampshire Cultural Trust Copyright10

View in 2018 taken from approximately the same position. Ralph Cousins

33

All that is left of the millpond to the east of Park Road South

The spring which is now under the multi-storey car park in Bulbeck Road.

Photograph by courtesy of Hampshire Cultural Trust, Copyright.10

34

Both these water corn mills were in the possession of the Monks of St

Swithuns at the time of the Domesday Survey1 in 1066 where it states for

Havant:

Value to the Lord in 1066: £8.

Households: 20 villagers.

Ploughland: 4 Ploughlands (land for) 6 mens plough teams.

Resources: Woodland 10 swine render, 2 mills value 0.75,

3 salthouses.

In 1284 the manor was conveyed to the Bishopric of Winchester in return for

certain privileges, Ashwell is the name of the mill mentioned in the Bishopric

of Winchesters Accounts and as with Brockhampton we can access

information from the Winchester Pipe Rolls2 which are the Bishopric’s

accounts held at the record office at Winchester. Interestingly upon

consulting the Pipe Rolls 1301-2, I found this reference under;

Defaults of Rent for the year 1301-2.

In default of the land and mill formerly of William de Aschewell £1 1s. 10½d.

Returns for the year 1301-2.

7 Qtrs of Wheat sold: £1 6s. 9d.

4 Qtrs 7 Bushel wheat: £0 6s. 0d.

2 Qtrs 5 Bushel wheat: £0 4s. 0d.

8 Qtrs 7 Bushel barley: £1 9s. 7d.

Total for the year: £3 6s. 4d.

35

Expenses for the year 1301-2.

In iron and steel bought for the bills of the said mill with the stipend of

the smith repairing said bills, 1s. 5d. in shoeing one plough horse for

the year 1s. 1d., in one basket bought 1d., in hiring one carpenter for 1

week to mend the sluice of the mill 1s. 3d., in making one mill iron 6d.,

in mending one hoop of the said mill 6d.

Total for the year: 4s 10d.2

Entries for later years show the expenses to the Bishopric for this mill would

include the millstones,

When Havant bought a great millstone at Southampton in 1433/4 for £6,

it paid a further 12d. for taking it to the crane, 8d. in cranage, 6s. 8d. for a

barge to take it to Langstone, and then 12d. for carting it to Ashwell mill.

By 144O/1 cranage at Southampton cost 12d. a Stone.5

The manor of Havant continued in the possession of the Bishops of

Winchester except for a period when it was seized by the Parliamentary

Commissioners and sold in 1647 to William Woolgar, but restored to the

Bishopric upon the restoration of Charles II. It continued to be leased by

various parties until sold in 1827 to Sir George Staunton who was the current

lessee. However, within the manor of Havant was the smaller manor of Hall

Place and around 1460 the Bishop of Winchester by deed indented and

confirmed by the monks of St Swithuns granted this manor to John Barbour

and his inheritors for ever, at that time for a rent of 44s. 4d. This manor

included the Town Mill. It was passed down the inheritors until the 18th

century when an Elizabeth Halsey inherited following litigation. Documents

dated 4 October 1777 show her selling the estate to Thomas Jeudwine, who

in turn sold to John Butler. In January 1803 John Butler conveyed it to John

Crassweller who re-built the mill in 1822 and who by his will dated 28th

October 1825 left the estate to Jane Longcroft his granddaughter who had

married Charles Beare Longcroft. Upon her death it passed to her elder son

Charles John Longcroft.8 He in turn left the estate to his own son Edward Roy

Longcroft. Edward owned Havant Town Mill until his own death on 16 April

36

1929. His widow Helen Gertrude Longcroft sold it to Portsmouth Water

Company on the 27 September 1934.6

Havant Town Mill stopped producing flour around 1917. From this period on

it continued to be used by Dittman & Malpas for grinding meal, crushing corn

and as a store. The millpond was partially filled in for the construction of

Park Road South which was built to bypass the town centre enabling the

closure of the railway crossing in North Street to vehicular traffic. The road

opened in March 1938 with no ceremony according to a report in the Evening

News. The mill itself was finally demolished in 1958 to make way for the

Havant bypass which opened in 1965.9

The Portsmouth Water Company sold the site on the 13 November 1984 to

Penview Ltd, a branch of Geoffrey Osbourne Ltd of Chichester for two-

hundred-thousand pounds. They retained the areas hatched red and black on

the plan below to maintain access to their inspection chambers, etc., and a

spring which surfaces in the car park.6

View showing the former millpond which extended from the mill brickwork

in the centre foreground to Park Road South. It was advertised as being

30,000 sq. ft. in area. The excavated Homewell Stream still runs through the

site which has been landscaped. Ralph Cousins

37

Parcel of land sold by the Portsmouth Water Company. By courtesy of the

Portsmouth Water Company

38

By courtesy of the Portsmouth Water Company.

The sale particulars for the Town Mill were signed on the 27 September

1934.

39

Hall Place Estate

40

During the late 1700s and early 1800s the Town Mill tenant was Thomas

Raiss, famous for his invention of rat powder which he advertised

extensively in the newspapers of the day. This advertisement was published

in June 1775:

To Farmers, Maltsters, Millers &c.

The great success with which the HAMPSHIRE MILLER’S RAT POWDER

has been used for the destruction of Rats and Mice in malthouses, mills,

outhouses, barns, stables, granaries, &c. as well as on-board ship, induces

the PROPRIETOR, T. RAISS, merchant and Mealman, at Havant Mill, Hants,

to recommend it to the Farmers at this particular season of the year to

destroy the vermin infecting their barns, before they bring in their corn at

the approaching harvest. Maltsters of SHIPS may also, on one night’s trial,

be witness of its astonishing effects, by alluring their vermin to the spot,

where they will eat it till they drop, and will not be driven from it. – No cat

will touch it.

The success, with which it has been used in the Sugar Plantations, and in

hot climates, deserves the attention of Merchants and Planters. And as the

inventor is a person of established character, and in affluent

circumstances, it is scarce necessary to add, that his motive in offering it

for sale is solely for the public good.

There is a counterfeit sort, but the genuine packets, price 2s 6d. each, are

done up in a red stamp, whereupon is the name of T. Raiss; and they are

sold by Champante and Co, Aldgate; by J. Wye, No 59, Coleman-street; at

the British Directory Office, Ave-Maria-lane, St Paul’s; and by all country

booksellers, stationers, news-distributors, &c.

Together with notices offering a reward for information on those who would

try to sell imitations of his product named Hampshire Miller’s Rat Powder.

41

TWENTY GUINEAS REWARD.

WHEREAS, several SPURIOUS Compositions having been made to imitate

the HAMPSHIRE MILLER’S RAT POWDER, I think it incumbent on me to

protect the public from such FRAUDS. This is therefore to give notice, that

whoever will give information of any person or persons having

counterfeited the said powder, and sold it under my NAME or SIGNATURE

the person so informing shall receive a reward of TWENTY GUINEAS, to be

paid on conviction, by me.

The real powder is covered with a red stamp, having my name and

signature upon it; and is sold wholesale by Champante and Whitrows,

Aldgate, London; by the printer of this paper, and his newsmen; and by

appointed persons in every town, in packets of 2s. 6d. each. it has never

been known to fail, when the directions are followed; and , though I have

authorised all my vendors to return the money if it does not answer, yet,

out of TWENTY THOUSAND PACKETS sold within the present year, only

seven have been returned; and those came from the customers of Mr

Goadby, of Sherborne, which I immediately took, exactly in the state they

came back to me, and laid them at a neighbour’s house in the presence of a

dozen persons, who are witnesses that all the rats about the premises were

destroyed in less than two hours. this composition is inevitable destruction

to every species of rats and mice, most of which are too nice to eat Dutch

paste or powered arsenic; and it has cost me many experiments and great

expense to find it out; and if any man in the kingdom can make the same, I

will forfeit a hundred pounds; in proof of its efficacy, the rat catchers now

buy it in considerable quantities, finding it highly superior to all their

cakes and contrivances, and yet no cat will touch it. It has cleared ships in

one night, that have been likely to have been sunk by them; and the

instances it has furnished of clearing Mills, Barns, Warehouses &c in a few

hours only, are no less astonishing than true. Sold wholesale and retail by

the printing- office, Winchester, and by all the agents.

THOMAS RAISS. HAVANT MILL, HANTS. Dec. 1. 1791.

42

HAVANT MILL

TO BE SOLD BY PUBLIC AUCTION,

by Mr WELLER, on Saturday the 25th April, 1812, at the Bear Inn, Havant,

at six o’clock in the evening, unless previously disposed of by Private

Contract, of which immediate notice will be given;-

A truly valuable WATER CORN MILL, carrying two pair of stones, machine,

bolting-mill, and screens, with a constant supply of water, capable of

grinding eight loads per week through the year; a Bakehouse attached,

which now bakes from five to nine sacks of flour per week, and capable of

great improvement; a good Family House, with garden well planted with

fruit trees; meadow, and various detached offices,

The above is Freehold, and Land-tax redeemed.

For further particulars and a view of the premises, apply to Mr Thomas

Raiss, or to Mr W. Butler. Havant.

Hampshire Telegraph and Sussex Chronicle, June 1812

The mill was let rather than sold freehold as John Crassweller left it to his

married granddaughter upon his death in 1825.

John Crasssweller put the Mill on the market in 1812, Thomas Raiss having

been the miller for over thirty years, and it was still being advertised for sale

in 1813 the year Thomas Raiss died. However during the same year we see

from advertisements a William Knapp in residence, his son Mr James Knapp

advertising for sale the mills at Langstone.

In the advertisement for the sale of the mill above it mentions the bakehouse

and bolting machine.

The bakehouse or kiln was used for drying the grain before it could be milled.

At Havant Town Mill this was attached to the mill and next to the house.

43

A bolting machine was used to grade the flour. The flour coming off the

millstones was the whole grain made up of bran, the outer layer, endosperm

the inner lining of the grain and germ which was the root. When not

separated this is called wholemeal flour mainly suitable for bread. To make

lighter refined flour for cakes etc. the flour needs to be separated. This is

achieved by a machine called a bolter.

The machine is fitted with mesh screens (like sieves) of varying grades; the

finest screen produces the lightest flour, the residue going on through the

next screen produces coarser flour and finely ground bran. What is left is

bran.11.

The house, yard, bakehouse and store with the mill on the right. Photograph

by courtesy of Hampshire Cultural Trust Copyright10

1835 saw the mill put back on the market, as advertised in the Hampshire

Telegraph and Sussex Chronicle of December 1835.

44

HAVANT MILL

To be Let, – All that newly erected and convenient WATER CORN MILL

called HAVANT MILL, with a DWELLING-HOUSE, Stable, Cart-houses,

Garden, and Meadow Plot adjoining, now occupied by Messrs. Clark and

Hellyer, who will give immediate possession.

For particulars, apply (if by letter, the postage to be paid), to Mr

Longcroft, Solicitor, Havant.

The newly rebuilt Havant Town Mill had a breastshot waterwheel; this type

of waterwheel was used when the flow of water was insufficient for the more

efficient overshot wheel like the one at Brockhampton. With a breastshot

wheel the water hits the buckets at a point approximately level with the axle.

Breastshot wheel.

45

. Havant Town Mill waterwheel with the mill race and sluice gate on the left.

Photograph by courtesy of Hampshire Cultural Trust Copyright.10

Havant Town mill was five storeys high. The grain would come from drying

in the bakehouse and be raised by a sack hoist into the loft. The grain would

then be tipped into the bin which fed the large hopper on the 4th floor.

Here it would be guided via a wooden chute into a smaller hopper above the

millstones on the 3rd floor. The grain would be fed to the stones via a slipper

which was a small moveable wooden chute which would in turn be vibrated

by the damsel, a shaft protruding from the centre of the stones. The milled

flour would then be captured by a wooden tun surrounding the stones and

sent down another wooden chute to the second floor which was the bagging

area. The gears from the waterwheel were situated on the first/ground floor.

46

Photograph by courtesy of Hampshire Cultural Trust Copyright10

Part of the hopper (top) with a chute guiding the grain into a smaller hopper

over the millstones which are encased in a wooden surround to capture the

flour. Photograph by courtesy of Hampshire Cultural Trust Copyright10

47

The Bagging Floor. Photograph by courtesy of Hampshire Cultural Trust

Copyright10

This photograph shows the big vertical pit

wheel which was attached to the

waterwheel. The smaller wheel or gear is

called the wallower; this in turn drives the

crown wheel above it which has smaller

gears called pinions which drive the runner

stone. This system of driving a series of

gears powered by the waterwheel rotating

at approximately 10rpm would turn the

runner millstone at approximately 120rpm.

Photograph by courtesy of Hampshire

Cultural Trust Copyright10

48

1850 saw one Nathaniel Byerley as a journeyman miller at Havant Town Mill.

We know this from newspaper columns where unfortunately he was

declared bankrupt.

Final orders will be made in the matters of following Persons, Petitioners

for Protection from Process, at the County Court of Hampshire, holden at

Portsmouth, in the said County, before Charles James Gale, Esquire, Judge

of the said Court, unless cause be shown to the contrary, as follows: on

Tuesday the 14th day of January next, at eleven o’clock precisely.

NATHANIEL BYERLEY. late of the West –street, in the Town and Parish

of Havant, in Hampshire, Baker, Grocer, and Mealman, and of Langstone,

in the said Parish of Havant Miller, Mealman and Dealer in Pigs; and now

residing in the House attached and belonging to the Mill, commonly called

Havant Mill, situated in the Parish of Havant aforesaid, Journeyman Miller

and Dealer.

R.MARTELL, High Bailiff.

Hampshire & Sussex Chronicle, 21 December 1850

However six years later he is still reported as the tenant as shown in this next

advertisement.

HAVANT MILL

To be LET, with immediate Possession: either upon a lease for Seven Years,

or from Year to Year, with Six Months’ Notice.

The Mill is breast-shot, in perfect order, driving Three Pair of Stones, will

grind about Eight Loads of Wheat per week upon a yearly average, and

has had a Retail Trade of about 15s. per week.

There is a Kiln and a good Dwelling-house adjoining the Mill, with

Stable, Carthouse, Garden and small Plot of Meadowland.

Rent 80l per Annum, payable Half Yearly.

Enquire of Mr BYERLEY the present tenant; or of C.B.LONGCROFT, Esq.

Havant.

Hampshire & Sussex Chronicle, 24 May 1856

49

The miller who entered into this contract may well have been Thomas

Dreweatt from Southsea. I believe he signed himself junior in order to

distinguish himself from his father who was Thomas Dreweatt, Chemist, of

Portsmouth.

He advertised for an apprentice in the Hampshire & Sussex Chronicle of 26

August 1860.

TO PARENTS & GUARDIANS.

WANTED an APPRENTICE to a MILLER

T.Dreweatt, jun, Havant Mill.

A Premium required

Followed in March 1862 by Bankruptcy notices, it would appear that the mill

was not as profitable as in previous years.

Developments in technology and the invention of steam power, coupled by a

reduction in wheat production in the second half of the nineteenth century,

together with an increase of imports, led to new larger, more modern mills

being built at ports and navigable river systems.

Small independent mills found it difficult to compete and many were reduced

to grinding animal feed.11

50

COURT OF BANKRUPTCY LONDON MONDAY, MARCH 24.

(Before Mr Registrar Roche)

IN RE THOMAS DREWEATT, OF HAVANT.

This was the first sitting. The bankrupt, Thomas Dreweatt, was described

as of Havant, miller, and also carrying on business as a miller and baker in

co-partnership with Robert Hayward, at Southsea.

The total indebtedness is stated by Messrs. Tyler and Co. the accountants,

at £1,084; assets, £508.

Mr David Harris, merchant, of Fareham, was appointed trade assignee.

An application was made under the 185th section to remove the

proceedings out of court, but as the necessary accounts had not been filed

the consideration of the question stood over.

Hampshire Telegraph and Sussex Chronicle, 29 March 1862

However all was not lost as the London Gazette reported in May of that year;

FROM TUESDAY NIGHT’S GAZETTEE.

BANKRUPTCY ANNULLED

T Dreweatt (the younger), Southsea, miller.

In the latter part of the nineteenth and early twentieth century the mill was

run by Charles Pullen who resided at 1 West St, Havant. He had a large family

and in the year 1904 announced the marriage of his eldest daughter Laura to

Mr George A. Rose.

51

ROSE – PULLEN

On Monday, at St Faiths Church Havant, a pretty but quiet wedding was

solemnised between Mr George A. Rose of the firm Messrs Ash & Thomas,

of Newport, Southampton, Portsmouth, Havant etc. and Miss Laura Pullen

eldest daughter of Mr Charles Pullen miller and corn merchant of Havant.

Ash and Thomas were Corn Merchants who had a shop in North Street

Havant.

A journeyman miller lived in the house attached to the mill. In the 1911

census this is shown to be Enos Albert Ames, his wife Edna was maternal

grandmother to Mr Paul Tucker whose father owned Tucker’s Dairy in the

town.

To improve efficiency and give extra power at Havant Mill Charles Pullen

installed an oil engine in 1914. This was housed in a lean-to on the north side

of the mill overlooking the millpond.12

During the First World War when U-boats attacked convoys carrying

imported flour goods the demand at home increased helping the smaller

mills like Havant.11

Charles Pullen died in the last quarter of the year 1919 aged 75.

His business and the management of the mill continued with his son-in-law

in the name Pullen and Rose. This company went on to become Dittman and

Malpas who many of us will remember.

By the 1930s there were only about 500 working flour mills in England and

only about half of these were small independent millers.11

52

Sack Hire

Westlake’s Sacks Limited, Southampton, have pleasure in announcing that the Southern Counties Agricultural Trading Society Ltd. have been appointed their Agents for Petersfield, and Messrs. Pullen and Rose (Dittman and Malpas Ltd.) for Havant and district.

Sacks may now be hired from and returned to:

Petersfield: Messrs. The Southern Agricultural Trading Soc. Ltd., Penns Road.

Havant: Messrs. Pullen & Rose, West Street.

Havant Millers

Date Name StatusWife OccupationSources Reference/Alt source

1704 Anthony Binstead m Anne Miller

1737 Charles Collins Miller

1745 Thomas Slatter m Anne Miller

Will X/479A/1/7 Portsmouth

History Centre

1749 William Champ Miller

1762 Richard Knapp Leaseholder

1791 Thomas Raiss Miller FMP News Newspaper reports

1812 Thomas Raiss Miller FMP News Hampshire Telegraph 1812

1813 William Knapp Miller FMP News Hampshire Telegraph 15-11-1813

1822

1822 Henry Tupper m Martha

Journey

man

Miller H Parish Register HM

1824 George Hellyer Henrietta J.Miller H Parish Register HM

1826 William Clark m Sarah Carter H Parish Register HM

1835 Clark & Hellyer

Miller/Te

nant FMP News Hampshire Telegraph 1835

1840 Richard Churcher m Charlotte Journeyman Miller H Parish Register HM

1850-56 Nathaniel Byerley m Francis

Journey

man

Miller FMP 1851 Census Bankrupt Hampshire Telegraph Dec 21 1850

1851 Charles Clarke

Journey

man

Miller FMP 1851 Census

1860-2 T. Dreweatt m Miller

1890 -1919 Charles Pullen m Eliza Miller 1891 /1911Census

1911 Enos Albert Ames m Edna

Journey

man

Miller

1911 Census

1933 Mrs E.R. Longcroft Owner News Portsmouth Evening News 3-01-1933

1934 PWC Owner

Mill re-built by John Crassweller Owner

Bankrupt 1862 Hampshire & Sussex Chronicle

Havant Town Mill

53

One of Seven Sisters: A Havant Mill Still in Use

Time works many changes …. This is evidenced by its effect upon what has

been the comparative obscurity of Havant Mill. This mill was one of seven

"sisters” which were scenes of activity in flour-making before the advent of

the big steamers and the erection of huge granaries by the docksides.

Perhaps the most distinguished of the local “seven sisters" is this Havant

one. It has stood the test of many, and is still serving a useful purpose.

Situated in a comparatively secluded spot at the end of a lane leading

westwards from South Street it has been conspicuous only to those who

liked to stroll along the quiet rural paths from Brockhampton to

Langstone. Today, however, the new by-pass road tributaries are unveiling

its obscurity, and making it a conspicuous landmark, typically to drivers

and passengers of motor vehicles, who will be given a “close up” to use a

modern cinema’s phrase, of this veteran of our oldest industry – food-

making.

The old mill is still playing its part in the industrial side of Havant’s affairs,

and the sound of the waterwheel, the clanging of hoist chains, and

plumping drop of sacks of corn and meal testify to its present utility.

When Barges Brought the Corn

We used to thresh corn into flour at the rate of about six sacks a day, not

including night work, said the foreman, Mr William Wakeford, to a

Hampshire Telegraph reporter. I have been connected with the old mill for

over 40 years, and can remember the times when the barges and other

boats used to come into Langstone Harbour laden with sacks of barley,

wheat and meal. During the war we dealt with many hundreds of sacks of

flour had been salvaged from ships which had been torpedoed or mined.

We crushed the flour, which was a sodden mass unfit for human food, into

pig meal. Nowadays we do not thresh any wheat, but grind meal and crush

corn. As you can see, however, there is still life in the old mill. It is the only

one out of the seven old mills round about here which is still doing its bit,

even though we have not made any flour in it for the past 20 years.

54

History of the Mill

We are indebted to Mr C. E. B. Longcroft, (Clerk to the Havant Justices),

and a member of one of the most distinguished Havant families, for the

following interesting history of this useful veteran of local Industry:

Upon reference to the Hundred of Bosmere I find that on November 8 in

the 22nd year of the reign of King Henry VI, he granted to John Barbour at

a rent of £44 4s. one messuage called Hall Place, and one watermill. Later

Lord Henry Beaufort, Cardinal of England and Bishop of Winchester,

granted it to Francis Woodder, who was owner in 1699, and in his will left

it to Dorothy Evens, who married Arthur King, and by her will of

December. 1711, devised the estate to her sister, Elisabeth Halsey.

A chancery suit arose in 1741 and it descended to Elisabeth, only child of

John Halsey, in October, 1777. She sold it to Thomas Jeudwine, a brewer, of

Havant, and in 1792 he disposed of it to John Butler The latter, in 1813,

sold it to John Crassweller, who rebuilt the mill in its present form about

1825, and left the estate to Jane, the wife of Charles Beare Longcroft for

life, and then to his eldest son, Charles John Longcroft (my grandfather).

My late father, Edward Roy Longcroft, succeeded to the property on the

death of Charles J. Longcroft, and it passed to my mother on his death in

1929. She held It for a few years, but the pressing need of the Portsmouth

Water Co. for its valuable water rights required for an emergency supply

in case of drought, made her yield to the public interest and sell the mill to

them, subject to the existing lease to Messrs. Dittman & Malpas, Ltd.

So much for the title to the property.

Previous Leasees

The mill itself was leased by the Longcroft family to a Mr. Souch, and then

to Mr. Charles Pullen. It had a good trade in the 1880 and 1890 period

with home-grown wheat and gristing corn, barley meal, oatmeal and even

Sussex ground oatmeal, but the trade has now passed to the larger mills

near the docks, and only gristing is still carried on there, by water power

only. [gristing is separating the corn from the chaff.]

55

The late Mr. Pullen installed roller plant and power machinery, but when

the grading of mills took place during the Great War, in 1917, It ceased to

be used for flour trade, but I remember the old covered two-horse flour

waggons going as far as Chichester and Portsmouth well loaded with good

home-grown flour.

The present waterwheel was rebuilt by the late Mr. George Poate, an old

established Havant wheelwright, with the iron flats, about 30 years ago,

and the late Mr. Pullen put in oil and gas engines to supplement the water

power about this time. Before the present Havant drainage works were

there, on every Sunday in the summer the hatches were pulled and the

meadows flooded as by the old custom hatches were closed at midnight on

Sunday to get a head of water to work the mill on Monday morning.

Hampshire Telegraph, 28 January 1938

Acknowledgements

1. http://opendomesday.org/place/SU7106/Havant/ Site by Anna Powell-Smith. Domesday data created by Professor J.J.N. Palmer, University of Hull. 2. HRO, Hampshire Archives and Local Studies Office Winchester, Hampshire County Council and Bedhampton Historical Collection. www.hants.gov.uk/archives/online catalogue/ Brockhampton Mill Bishopric of Winchester Pipe Rolls 1301-2, 1409-10, P235, 236,240,241 Edited by Mark Page. 3. http://www.norfolkmills.co.uk/watermill-machinery.html 4. Find my Past. https://search.findmypast.co.uk/search/british-newspapers https://search.findmypast.co.uk/search-united-kingdom-records-in-census-land-and-surveys

56

5. http://www.bahs.org.uk/AGHR/ARTICLES/40n2a1.pdf. Mills for Mediaeval Manors by David L Farmer. P102, P103, CH111, P109, CHV1. 6. PWC Portsmouth Water Company Drawing Office. www.portsmouthwater.co.uk 7. http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/hants/vol3/pp122-127, The Parish and Liberty of Havant. 8. A Topical Account of the Hundred of Bosmere by Charles John Longcroft. P3, P14, 20, 21, 22. Published by Frank Westwood, The Petersfield Bookshop, 16a Chapel St, Petersfield, Hants. 9. .http://thespring.co.uk/media/1146/combined-timeline-web.pdf and Havant Museum/ Parish registers. 10. Http://hctcollections.org.uk/index.asp?page=item&mwsquery=({collection}= {havant%20photographs}OR{collection}={gosport%20pho. 11. https://millsarchive.org/explore/features-andarticles/entry/171161/from-quern-to-computer-the-history-of-flourmilling/11671. Page 12, STONE MILLING: SURVIVAL AND REVIVAL. September 06th 2016 by Martin and Sue Watts. 12. sopse.org.uk/ixbin/hixclient.exe?a=query&p=gateway&f=generic_objectreco rd_postsearch. _IXFIRST_=27047&_IXM. 13. http://www.deltamill.org/flour/sorting.html. Thanks to John Pile, Ann Griffiths and Ralph Cousins for their help and

support and Mr P. Tucker for allowing us to share his memories.

57

In February 1987 apprentices from the Unicorn Training Centre at Highbury

College created the replica Havant Mill waterwheel from Iroko hardwood

weighing one and a half tonnes. The waterwheel was placed in a cradle in the

mill race across the Lavant stream. The project was organised in conjunction

with Chichester based Osborne Construction Group, who were building the

De La Rue office block now known as Langstone Gate.

The apprentices were able to use a variety of carpentry and joinery skills in

the wheel's construction and as a safety feature the central spindle was made

with 12 sides so that it couldn't be turned. Students at Havant Sixth Form

College were also involved in the initial design and research of the replica

waterwheel.

58

After 30 years parts of the wheel became rotten and it was in danger of

collapsing. Following an initiative by Postcode Publications Ltd the

restoration project was made possible by the generosity and community

spirit of Steve Cripps, Managing Director of PMC Construction and

Development Services, who donated the resources to enable the work to be

completed.

59

All credits due to the exceptional workmanship by PMC tradesmen and

apprentices for the superb waterwheel refurbishment which gives a heritage

feature which we can all enjoy for many years to come. It was difficult to find

any contractor willing to take the project on but PMC stepped up to be

counted as a contractor committed to working in our community; they are

currently building social homes in Leigh Park.

60

Commemorative plaques by the waterwheel

61

Those who attended the ‘unveiling’ of the refurbished wheel on 12 December

2017. Bradley Barnes and John Cameron – who worked as apprentices on

the original replica waterwheel, Alan Westbrook of Postcode Publications,

Mark Brooks, NJS Group, Julian Tazewel, PMC Site Manager, Steve Cripps,

Managing Director PMC, Joe Clapp, PMC apprentice, Tim Guest, PMC

Contracts Manager, Billy Stillwell, PMC apprentice, local historians Ralph

Cousins and Ann Griffiths with booklet author Jennifer Bishop.

.

62

PMC Contracting and Development Services Ltd. personnel responsible for

achieving the work to restore the replica waterwheel – left to right: Steve

Cripps, Joe Pratt, Billy Stilwell, Julian Tazewell and Tim Guest.

63

LANGSTONE HARBOUR MILLS

Compiled by Jennifer Bishop

Mill near Havant, Langston Harbour, Hants. by E. Duncan, first published in

Once a Week magazine in 1869.

64

THE LESSON OF THE WATER MILL

Listen to the water mill, through the live-long day,

How the clicking of its wheel, whiles the hours away!

Languidly the autumn wind, stirs the forest leaves,

From the fields the reapers sing, binding up their sheaves;

And a proverb haunts my mind, as a spell is cast:

“The mill cannot grind, with water that is past”.

Autumn winds revive no more, leaves that once are shed,

And the sickle cannot reap, corn once gathered:

Flows the ruffled streamlet on, tranquil, deep and still:

Never gliding back again, to the water mill,

Truly speaks the proverb old, with a meaning vast,

“The mill cannot grind, with water that is past”.

Take the lesson to thyself; true and loving heart,

Golden youth is fleeting by. Summer hours depart:

Learn to make the most of life, lose no happy day,

Time will never bring thee back, chances swept away,

Leave no tender word unsaid, love whilst love shall last,

“The mill cannot grind with water that is past”.

Work while yet the daylight shines, man of strength and will!

Never does the streamlet glide useless by the mill.

Wait not until tomorrow’s sun, beams upon thy way,

All that thou can’st call thine own, lies in thy grasp today:

Power and intellect and health, may not always last,

“The mill cannot grind with water that is past”.

O the wasted hours of life that has drifted by!

O the good that might have been – lost, without a sigh!

Love that we once might have saved, by a single word,

Thoughts conceived, but never penned, perishing unheard’

Take the proverb to thine heart, take and hold it fast-

“The mill cannot grind with water that is past”.

Written at just 17 years of age by Sarah Doudney, poet and author from

Portsmouth, 1843-1926.

65

There were three mills in the village of Langstone in the eighteenth century.

The renovated watermill adjacent to the Royal Oak public house is probably

on the site of, or close to, the former Lymbourne manorial mill. Standing

alongside is a windmill, minus its sails, but also renovated and sometimes

called the ‘Old Mill’. The watermill, referred to by some as Wade Mill, was

often confused with the second watermill in Langstone, West Mill, as both

were referred to as Langstone Mill. All were corn mills. Two were situated at

the eastern end of the village and were quite separate from each other. Old

maps indicate a track between them leading from Wade Lane to the

foreshore. The third, West Mill, the largest of the three, was at the end of Mill

Lane on the west side of the village.

Part of Langstone recorded on this 1838 map showing the cart track from

Wade Lane to the mills.

66

Langstone Windmill as it today, 2018. Photograph Jennifer Bishop

THE WINDMILL

John Moody became lord of Havant Manor in 1726, upon the death of his

father Isaac Moody. Whilst lord he granted out a copyhold piece of land,

formerly waste, on the foreshore at Langstone where the wind mill was built.

Some say circa 1730. John Moody died suddenly at the manor house in 1764.1

Copyhold was land held by a manorial tenant. To take over a tenancy the new

tenant had to pay a fine (heriot) and it was recorded in the court rolls of the

manor, of which they were given a copy. Copyhold came with a set of rights

and obligations which were enforced by the manorial courts, this included

rules about how the land could be handed on after death. Copyhold tenure

was abolished in England and Wales by a law passed in 1922.

67

The windmill was a four storey Tower Mill, of brick construction, with walls

2-feet thick. The walls were probably tarred in order to protect it from the

sea. It had a cap that could be rotated to turn the sails into the wind to

maximise efficiency, the cap was controlled by a rope or chain. At a later date

it was replaced by a fantail. Like Stoke Windmill, just across the wade way in

north Hayling, it had four lattice blades which were covered in sailcloth. The

sails were attached to the windshaft which turned a gear called a break

wheel, which turned the wallower. This rotated the vertical shaft running

down through the mill to the great spur wheel, where the millstones were

mounted on pinions. The likely procedure, as with other tower mills, was

that sacks of grain would have been hoisted from the ground floor to the top

4th floor. Here they were emptied into the hoppers housed on the 3rd floor,

which fed the wheat to the two pair of millstones on the 2nd floor. The 1st or

ground floor being the ‘bagging area’ and sack hoist.

Next to the windmill was the brick and tile cottage, and next to that the

granary, both built on brick pillars. Barges could load and unload at the

granary at high tide.

Ben Goodman was the copyholder for the last twenty years of the eighteenth

century. Then the windmill changed hands in quick succession several times

before, at the beginning of the 19th century it was owned by Joseph

Goodman, a miller from Westbourne. Upon his death in 1808, his son,

Thomas, inherited the copyhold windmill and put it up for sale.

WINDMILL

To be SOLD by PRIVATE CONTRACT, the WINDMILL, at Langstone, near

Havant, Hants, lately belonging to Mr. Joseph Goodman, deceased. It is in

good repair, and can be viewed at any time. Apply (if by letter post-paid)

to Mr. Charles Pollington, at Havant.-August 6, 1808.

Hampshire Telegraph, 29 August 1808

68

The windmill remained unsold and was re-advertised in 1809. The

purchasers were William and George Ray, yeomen from Widley and relations

of the Silvers, a well-known Langstone family. They owned the mill until

1824 when they sold it to John Bridger Clark, a local merchant, businessman,

and property owner.2

In the nineteenth century it was usual for employers to provide

accommodation. These were called tied cottages, and had to be vacated when

the employment terminated. This resulted in the mill owners accumulating

considerable property portfolios.

In order to raise working capital it was common to mortgage part of the

business to other local businessmen looking for an investment. This can be

confusing when trying to establish ownership, as copyhold deeds list the

manorial interest, the tenant and mortgage holders, of which there could be

more than one.

John Bridger Clark was an experienced businessman, who had many

interests relating to this trade, including the West (South) mill. (It was

known as Langstone Mill at this time – see early map.) He continued to own

the windmill until his death in September, 1865 His son Samuel Clarke, who

had already bought Bedhampton Upper mill in 1865, inherited the windmill,

West Mill, and his father’s other business concerns upon his death. Samuel

Clarke himself died in 1906, aged 81, and was succeeded by his sons John

Bridger, William and Harry.

As with other local mills, trade declined towards the end of the 19th century,

as foreign imports and improvements in technology rendered the small mills

unviable. By 1890 the windmill was looking derelict, and had already lost its

sails. Windmill cottage was still occupied. In the 1911 census the cottage was

rented by George Deadman, a cowman, who lived there with his wife, Mary.

Following her death, in 1929, he continued to live in the now dilapidated

cottage until eventually his landlord, the Wade Court Estate, raised his rent

and he went to live with his son.

69

Langstone Watermill in 2018, now converted into a private residence.

Photograph Jennifer Bishop

THE WATERMILL

The exact date of origin of the watermill is unknown; a watermill was

mentioned in the old tithing of ‘Neutibrige’, Newtimber, part of which was in

the manor of Lymbourne. The Lymbourne stream was the western border of

this small manor and the only watercourse, the northern border was the

turnpike road. Newtimber was in the parish of Warblington, and mentioned

in the Domesday Book in which it lists:3

Households: 2 villagers. 4 smallholders.

Ploughland: 2 ploughlands (land for). 0.3 lord's plough teams.

0.5 men's plough teams.

Other resources: Meadow 3 acres. 1 mill, value 0.25. 1 fishery.

Overlord in 1066: Earl Harold.

Tenant-in-chief in 1086: Earl Roger (of Shrewsbury).

70

The name no longer exists as a place, but another reference is made in the

Victorian County History where it states under the tithing of Newtimber:4

The successive lords of Wade were possessed of a moiety of

Newtimber, while in 1316 another moiety was held by Henry

Romyn, probably a descendant and successor of John son of John Romyn,

who in 1272 conveyed a messuage, a mill, 2 virgates of land and 2 acres of

wood to Adam de la More for life.

There is also mention in old records of the Lymbourne manorial mill. This

may not have been on exactly the same site as the present mill, but the

millpond predated the later 18th century mill and old maps show access to

this mill was from Wade Lane. The foreshore must have been dammed to

create the tidal millpond and cart track.

By courtesy of John Reger

71

This is an illustration of how the shoreline appeared in early maps, and

shows the tithing of Newtimber. The S on this map represents springs; the

dotted horizontal line was the turnpike road, the old A27, now the A259. The

black line is the Warblington Parish Boundary. The Lymbourne Manor was

situated between the old turnpike road and the sea, with the manorial

boundary being the Lymbourne stream to the west and Pook Lane to the

east.

Longcroft says of the boundary, and following the Lymbourne stream through

the millpond to the great sluice there, and later maps show the parish

boundary to go through the millpond to the sluice gate, effectively cutting the

pond in half, the western half being in the Havant manor. In the Domesday

survey it shows no saltern in the Newtimber tithing, but states Havant as

having three salthouses; I suspect the Havant portion of the millpond may

have housed one, as in;

1776 Mary Silver, of Langstone, obtained a licence from the lord of the

manor, to demolish a salthouse, and a second licence to let the copyhold

watermill for 21 years. She had inherited land in 1772 from her nephew,

Thomas Fleshmonger, who in turn had inherited from his mother, Anna

Fleshmonger Parker. Anna had acquired the land in 1754, consisting of two

acres between Langstone High Street and the mill pond.2

The tide watermill was fed by the Lymbourne stream and the tides. The mill,

weir, and sea-gates are still in evidence today on the footpath which forms

part of the Solent Way. It is a single storey brick and tile building with a

hipped roof which houses the loft. The mill was advertised for sale by

Thomas Tribe in 1819, but must have remained unsold. It was described as

being an overshot water corn mill, driving two pair of stones, with garden,

granary, meadow, outhouses and other conveniences, the whole containing

about 6 acres. So situated that vessels of from 20 to 30 tons could load and

unload every spring tide close to the mill.

Thomas Tribe had bought the watermill in 1786 from William and Mary

Silver. The Tribe family lived in what was called Green Cottage. Thomas had

purchased this from a James Ayles who had previously, briefly owned the

72

windmill. They successfully carried on their trade until when Thomas died in

1829, his son, John, inherited the business. John Tribe sold the mill in 1853

to David Coldwell, a Havant merchant for £270.2

An excerpt from a larger advertisement published in the Hampshire

Telegraph, Saturday, 5 March 1853:

HAVANT, LANGSTONE, AND HAYLING ISLAND

Lot 4. - A capital WATER CORN MILL, with large pond, meadow, and

outbuildings adjoining; also situate at Langstone, abutting upon the

harbour, and well situated for commanding and carrying on an excellent

trade, both foreign and home.

On Wednesday 25 October 1881 the Hampshire Telegraph posted another

advertisement, which indicates the watermill was still working, and by this

time the miller’s house had been built which still stands next to the mill. J.

Couzens, was the gardener at the Wade Court Estate, he must also have acted

as a kind of bailiff.

WATER CORN MILL TO BE LET, AT LANGSTONE, near Havant.

Rent £50, including modern house, small meadow, and garden ground.-

Apply to J Couzens, Gardener, Havant.

The owners of these mills were usually wealthy businessmen who did not

live on the premises. In the eighteenth and nineteenth century it was

customary for employers to provide accommodation for their workers. The

miller living at the mill was called a journeyman miller. It is difficult to

identify where some of the millers worked as many of them worked for the

same employer, who owned several mills and numerous properties, like the

Clarke family.

In the parish baptisms, before the census started in 1841, I found these

Langstone millers; 1818, William Greenfield, 1820, Thomas and Mary

Lillywhite, 1821, John and Charlotte Stripe, 1823, Peter and Mary Port and

1828, Robert and Mary Oliver.

73

The 1841 census showed six millers residing in the village; Henry Sparkes, of

Havant, Richard Churcher, of Hayling Island, William Sparkes, of Thorney

Island, and father to George Sparkes of Stoke Windmill. Benjamin Boyes, who

worked at the windmill, and Charles Upsell, from Havant.

The 1851 census recorded four millers; Charles Upsell and William

Hammond, from Havant, Walter Canner from Warblington, and another

William Hammond, (probably a relative) from Westbourne.

The 1861 census recorded three millers; William Sparkes, from Thorney

Island, Walter Canner, and Richard Churcher. George Sparkes shows on the

census but he was working at Stoke Windmill on Hayling Island.

The 1871 census recorded two millers; James Mengham from Bedhampton,

and Alfred Wade from Westbourne.

The 1881 census recorded two millers; John and George Voke, from Birdham

and Bosham respectively.

The 1891 Census recorded two millers; John Davis from Prinsted, and Edgar

Heather from West Ashling.

In 1901 there was just one miller listed in the census of Langstone, Edgar

Heather, from West Ashling. He was probably employed at the West Mill

which at this time was the only Langstone mill still working.

At the end of the nineteenth century both the village mills were out of action,

the windmill had lost its sails and was open to the elements. The windmill

cottage, despite being occupied until the early 1930s, and store becoming

ever more derelict.

During 1846 the Wade Court Estate, the landlord of these mills, had been

purchased by C.J. Longcroft, from Messrs Knight & Moore.

Charles Longcroft died in 1877, aged 62, he was succeeded by his son

Edward Roy Longcroft. On 12 April 1912, the Wade Court Estate was

advertised for sale in the Hampshire Telegraph. The estate was divided into

lots to be auctioned at the Bear Hotel, Havant.

74

The Longcrofts had not lived on this estate; they resided in Hall Place, the

seat of the adjoining manor. The Wade Court estate was leased to Marshall

Nisbett Inman, who was responsible for the restoration of the water garden.

The watermill and miller’s house, together with a small meadow, was lot 59.

The windmill, cottage and granary, was lot 60. The near derelict windmill

was described in the sale literature as ‘picturesque’. The auction particulars

confirm both of the village mills, although leased to tenants, remained the

property of the old Lymbourne manor or Wade Court Estate. It was at this

time part of the Wade estate was divided up into plots and auctioned for

housing development.

75

Part of the sale particulars showing the Wade estate divided into auction lots.

The mills are lots 59 and 60.

76

By Courtesy of David Jordan

77

The Green Cottage as it is today, 2018. James Ayles lived here followed by

Thomas Tribe. Photograph Jennifer Bishop

The watermill and granary and windmill early 1900s. Ralph Cousins

78

The old mill and cottage early 1900s. Ralph Cousins

79

In the late 1920s, a group of young artists came to Langstone at weekends to

paint; one of these was Flora Twort, from Petersfield. She bought the

windmill in the early 1930s and set about the restoration. The old granary

was her studio. The watermill was bought by Winifred Stamp who left it to

Flora Twort in her will. Twort sold the windmill and cottage after World War

Two, just retaining the watermill as a studio.

Another notary who visited the windmill during World War Two was the

author Nevil Shute, a friend of Twort.

Read: A Langstone Miscellany by Ann Griffiths.

An advertisement in the Evening News of April 1943 reads:

TO LET, Furnished, for one year. Langstone Mill and cottage annexe, one

mile Havant; sunny, easily run house; all conveniences.- Write Box 2746,

Childs, Newsagent. Petersfield.

The artist Richard Joicey, who lived in the mill from 1970 to 1980, wrote a

book called A Mill in a Million. Unfortunately it is now out of print.

The site is now Grade II listed. It is famous for its natural beauty and must be

one of the most painted and photographed mills in the country.

80

The mills as they appear today, 2018, are currently a residential private

property. Photograph Jennifer Bishop

The millpond in 2018. Photograph Jennifer Bishop

81

The site of the old sea-gates. This was the manorial boundary the foreground

being in the manor of Lymbourne and the Warblington Parish. Photograph

Jennifer Bishop

Langstone at low tide, Warblington Castle is just visible in the distance.

Photograph Jennifer Bishop

82

South Mill, Langstone Mill, Clarke’s Mill or today

West Mill

The mill circa 1900

South Mill or as it was later called Clarke’s Mill was first mentioned in the

Domesday Survey3 where it states Havant had two mills, it is not proved the

mill stood on the same site but it is probable as in the Winchester accounts

Langstone wharf is mentioned where the Bishopric imported millstones and

brandy. The mill was situated by the footbridge at the end of Mill Lane,

Langstone, with the front of the mill parallel to the water’s edge. The water

course looped around the north and west sides where it joined the tidal inlet

from which barges were loaded and unloaded.5 The other is thought to have

been the Havant Town Mill.

The lord at this time was the Bishopric of Winchester. The mill mentioned in

the mediaeval records was referred to as South Mill or Esmill; In the

Bishopric’s accounts it states:

83

Simon de la Bere as Bailiff rendered an account he paid over 2s. 4d.

received for 4 Bushels of corn sold, arising from the toll of the mill of

Esmill.

The Winchester Pipe Rolls, the Bishopric’s accounts which are held at

Hampshire Records Office indicated this mill was leased. It states for the year

1409-106:

-and for £6 from John Tyere, baker for the farm of the south mill, demised

to the same John for 20 years, this being the sixth, on condition that the

aforesaid John will repair, restore and maintain the said mill well and

suitably at his own cost during the aforesaid term and the Lord will

provide him with timber for the same by view of whoever was bailiff at the

time. Total £6.

Battine’s ancient Mill was recorded as being situated just above where John

Smith Lane re-built his mill at Langstone in 1815. But the exact site it is not

known as records are difficult to find. There was a tendency to call the mill by

the name of the present owner resulting in records showing different entries

for the same premises, for example South Mill or as it was later called

Clarke’s mill is recorded in the census of 1851 as Lane’s mill after its owner.

In the Hundred of Bosmere it states1:

One of the mills mentioned in the survey is subsisting on its original site at

Brockhampton, and is now (1856) held by the Messrs. Snook, on lease for

lives, from the Bishop of Winchester, and the other stood on the site of that

now occupied by the Town Mill, which was re-built by the late Mr John

Crassweller, in the year 1822. To these have been added the mill erected

some years since by the late Mr John Smith Lane, below the site of Battine’s

ancient mill.

In the manorial records it mentioned a Fulling Mill which burnt down in the

middle of the eighteenth century. Fulling, also known as Tucking or Felting,

was a process in woollen cloth making which involved scouring and milling.

Scouring was the cleansing of the cloth prior to dyeing to eliminate oils, dirt

84

and other impurities. This was achieved using urine, fuller’s earth or

soapwort.

Felting of wool occurs upon hammering or other mechanical agitation

because the microscopic barbs on the surface of wool fibres hook together,

somewhat like Velcro.7

The cloth was beaten by wooden hammers known as fulling stocks or hammers, the machinery operated by cams on the shaft of the waterwheel. It was then washed and spread on tenterhooks to dry. The next process was to raise the nap of the cloth using teasel heads mounted on sticks. Then large shears would be employed to remove surface hair leaving the cloth smooth, this process was often repeated to improve the quality of the cloth.

During 1813 the mill was advertised for sale by James and William Knapp

and sold to a William Battine. It was then purchased and rebuilt in 1815 as a

corn watermill by John Smith Lane who re-mortgaged it several times. It was

customary at this time for proprietors to raise funds by mortgaging part of

their property to other local business men, very often in the same trade. This

can be confusing when trying to establish ownership. John Smith Lane died

in 1839, childless, and his estate was divided between his two first cousins

Joseph and Charles Lane. Charles inherited South Mill or Lane’s Mill as it was

then known. It remained in his possession until in 1849 when he sold to a

Thomas Buck, who leased it to John Bridger Clark. John Bridger Clarke

bought the mill from Thomas Buck in 1858. In 1868 his son, Samuel Clark,

completed a deal with the lord of the manor, William Stone. In return for

surrendering land at Havant Thicket Samuel received absolute title to a

number of properties. These included the mill pond feeding South Mill,

Southmere, and the field facing it known as Mill Field, and the storehouse

with a stitch of land, which is now the Ship Inn. The mill continued working

until 1912, and remained in the Clarke family until it was sold to Messrs.

Stent in the 1930s. It was then purchased by the Portsmouth Water

Company, standing idle until it was deemed unsafe and eventually

demolished in 1936.

85

This photograph shows the mill falling into disrepair.

86

LANGSTONE’S OLD WATERMILL

Formerly Hive of Industry.

The idleness of Langstone’s old watermill furnishes another indication of

the march of progress.

For centuries it was a hive of industry grinding corn into a brand of flour

which was most popular with past generations. It was re-built in the early

years of the 19th century and continued for many years. Modern transport

and the demand for foreign flour ultimately caused the waterwheel and

shafts to cease revolving so that in 1912 it began to rest in peace amid its

pacific surroundings.

The mill had been in the possession of Mr W Clarke of South Street for

generations of this well- known and well respected family. It recently

passed into the ownership of Messrs Stent.

Portsmouth Evening News, 19 August 1930

As with other local mills, imported flour and wheat used to make white

bread, which people seemed to prefer, and the advanced roller technology

needed to process the harder wheat imports marked the end of traditional

mills. But not everyone agreed, as this letter to the editor demonstrates:

LANGSTONE MILL’S OLD INDUSTRY

(To the Editor of the Hampshire Telegraph and Post.)

Dear Sir,-You illustrated last week a picturesque old mill at Langston, and

said that for centuries it was a hive of industry “grinding corn into a brand

of flour which was popular with past generations.

Could it not again be made to produce a brand of flour which so many

want and have to go so far afield to get? If Messrs. F. and S.I. Stent will

advertise the fact that they supply mill ground flour they will find a ready

market for it, if only they would take the trouble to explain that there is an

inexpensive machine which makes bread with the minimum of labour.

87

Some years ago one of our national newspapers went to some pains to

advocate whole-meal bread, and demonstrated its health qualities as

compared to the whiter flour they condemned in comparison.

Yours faithfully,

P. MORLEY HORDER,

Court House, Eastmeon, Petersfield.

Hampshire Telegraph, Friday, 29 August 1930

The site in 2018: the mill was situated where the wooden fence is with the

weir to the right. Photograph Jennifer Bishop

The mill house is still occupied today and the weir is in the garden, south of

the house running into the tidal inlet. The weir is situated between the house

and the mill site. It is now called West Mill adding to the list of names used to

identify this mill site.

As previously mentioned, rich landowners did not reside at their mills which

were managed by tenant millers or journeymen millers who employed

88

apprentices, labourers and carters. Many of these millers were fathers and

sons and their names crop up repeatedly across all of Havant’s mills.

Particularly as in 1865 Samuel Clarke inherited the windmill in Langstone

village from his father John Bridger Clarke, together with other local mills

like Bedhampton Upper Mill, so may have directed his labour where the

workload demanded.

Clarke’s Mill Langstone

Date Name Wife Owner Tenant Miller

Journey -man Miller Source Notes

1813 James & William Knapp x

[6] p45

1814 William Battine

x

[6] p45 1815 John Smith Lane

x

PENews

1816 George Hillyer x Parish Baptism

1818 William Greenfield x

Parish Baptism

1839-49 Charles Lane

x

[6]

1849 Thomas Buck

x

[6] 1859-

1914 J. B Clarke & Samuel Clark

x

Parish Baptism [6]

1816 George Hellyer Henrietta

x Parish Baptism [6]

1833 William Sparks Sarah

x Parish Baptism [6]

1840-42 Charles Upsdell Ellen

x

Parish Baptism [6]

1851-61 Walter Canner Matilda

x Census

Lane's Mill

1851 William Hammond

x Census

1914 Mr Cox

x

[2] 1933ish Mssrs Stent

x

PENews

1936 PWC

x

[6] p20

89

The tidal outlet into Langstone harbour, somewhat silted up today. Barges

would have had to navigate this channel to carry goods to and from the mill.

Photograph Jennifer Bishop

Another article on Havant’s Mills published in the Evening News on 3 January

1933 states:

Also out of Action

On the stream close to the sea is another even more imposing mill, with

double overshot wheels, now un-used, locally known by the name of

Clarke’s Mill. It bears the inscription that it was rebuilt in 1815, local

records say by John Smith Lane. The history of the district records the

existence of ‘Battine’s Ancient Mill’, which judging from meagre records,

must have been somewhere between these two.

There are varying accounts of this mill, in the article above it states the mill

had double overshot wheels, this is difficult to believe as overshot wheels

needed a good water supply and this mill is said not to have had a mill pond 5

but a length of river where the embankments had been built up to hold more

water. Although other accounts mention a millpond, there is a pond with

brick sides today, to the front and west of the house. In another account the

wheel is undershot, and yet again in the Portsmouth Evening News of 23 May

90

1972 an article stated: this mill was unique in having both an overshot and an

undershot wheel. Today the water meadows, Southmoor, are managed by The

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust; it is popular with walkers,

birdwatchers and dog walkers and forms part of the Solent Way.

The weir today obscured by trees. Photograph Jenny Bishop

WARBLINGTON

Langstone Harbour

Another very ancient watermill was at Warblington Castle. Warblinton, like

Havant had numerous springs. It is thought there was a monastery here,

predating the castle. It is said evidence can be found in the early architecture

of the church, parts of which also predated the site of the later ‘castle’. This

was a castellated, moated, manor house with a pond and tidal creek which

came approximately up to the east side of the church. See map on page 70.

Into this inlet ran streams arisen from springs just north and east of the

house which fed the pond. The mill was thought to have been at the southern

end of the pond.

91

However, it would appear from this auction notice there was also a watermill

in the late eighteenth, early nineteenth century, when Thomas Lellyett leased

Warblington Castle Farm before it was sold to Richard Fenwick.

HANTS, TO BE LET BY AUCTION, BY MR WELLER,

On Saturday 7th August, between the hours of six and seven in the Evening,

at The Bear Inn, Havant.

Lot 2, A very desirable FARM called WARBLINGTON CASTLE, compiling

an excellent farm-house, barns, and other outbuildings, situate in the

Parish of Warblington, very near the sea, with 300 acres of land, viz.232

acres of arable, 49 acres of good pasture, and 9 acres of coppice. This

estate is Tithe free, now in the occupation of Mr. Thomas Lellyett under a

lease which expires at Michaelmas, 1803; when possession will be given.

For a term of three years,

Lot 3, A WATERMILL, close to Mr. Lellyett’s house.

Further particulars may be known by applying to Messrs. Butler, Havant,

and to Mr. WELLER At his General Agency Office, Chichester.

Sussex Weekly Advertiser and Lewes Journal, Monday, 12 July 1802

In 1857 Charles Longcroft first published his book, the Hundred of Bosmere.

He says of the mill:

It stood within the memory of a man at the southern point of the castle

pond, and the original arch spanning the little brook is still to be seen.

The field just north of the Solent Way footpath past the new cemetery was

called Mill Pond Meadow, and the one above that, Mill Pond Mead.

92

This photograph is taken from the Solent Way footpath at Warblington.

Looking south towards Hayling in the distance, you can clearly still see the

outlines of the sea inlet to Warblington Castle. This land is at, or just below

sea level, and the sea only kept at bay by the sea wall. The spring fed stream

which once turned the wheel of the watermill runs along the line of trees to

the left of the photograph into the sea. Photograph Jennifer Bishop

93

Acknowledgements

1. A topical account of the Hundred of Bosmere by Charles John

Longcroft P3, 14, 17, 20, 21,22,29,133. Published by Frank

Westwood, The Petersfield Bookshop, 16a Chapel St, Petersfield,

Hants. (Available from HCC Library Service)

2. Old Langstone by John Morley, published by Langstone Village

Association, Havant, Hants,PO9 1RY. P20,29,31,40,52. (Available from

HCC Library Service)

3. http://www.opendomesday.org/place/SU7106/havant/ http://opendomesday.org/place/SU7205/newtimber/

Site created by Anna Powell- Smith. Domesday data by Professor J.J.N. Palmer, University of Hull.

4. http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/hants/vol3/pp122-127

Havant

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/hants/vol3/pp134-139

Warblington

5. http://thespring.co.uk/media/3010/a-no-40-the-making-of-havant-1.pdf P39.

6. Winchester Pipe Rolls 1409-10, held at Hampshire Records Office, Winchester.

7. http://www.iwhistory.org.uk/RM/fullingmills/

Reading:

A Langstone Miscellany by Ann Griffiths.

http://thespring.co.uk/media/2984/a-no-66-a-langstone-miscellany-

december-2016.pdf

A Mill in a Million by Richard Joicey, published by Pelham Bookshops,

available from HCC library Service.

94

95

96

A watercolour of a mill by William Grant of Havant; location unknown.