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SLHS: Charlecote Mill

Charlecote Mills

The village is roughly half way between Warwick and Stratford and the River Avon is losing height continuously. By the time it passes between Hampton Lucy and Charlecote the River Leam, Gog Brook, Tach Brook, Fershers Brook, Horse Brook, Longbridge Brook, and Sherborne Brook and many others have joined it. Surrounded by hundreds of square miles of fertile valley, much of which is put to harvest to this very day, here would’ve been an excellent place to have placed a watermill. Indeed the Doomsday Book mentions two in 1086.

Lucy’s First Charlecote Mill

In 1074 the Norman Luci clan followed William the Conqueror and set up in Essex. By 1247 they were prominent land owners in this part of Warwickshire. At age 48 in 1558 Thomas de Lucy built Charlecote Park and it’s inconceivable that he wouldn’t have taken an interest in the mill nearby. It may be him or a son, also called Thomas, who built or rebuilt a mill here. He had twelve children. One of them, Charles, had nine children: Sarah, Thomas, Mary, Matilda, Caroline, George, Jane, William and Elizabeth. This Thomas had six children William, Thomas, Harriett, Mary, Jane and Elizabeth. In 1760 Charlecote Park was landscaped by Capability Brown.

Mills require knowledgable people to build and maintain them. If run properly millers become wealthy and with that often powerful locally. The Lucy’s were prominent people already so it isn’t surprising that the nearby hamlet carries their name.

Lucy’s Second Charlecote Mill

Records are a little sketchy but with so much water available, according the mill’s own website, in 1752 the current cleverly symmetrical building was built with a whopping four grindstones powered by two waterwheels..

SLHS Picture & Document Archives..

1. Picture Vaults: Charlecote Mill

Just east of Hampton Lucy

● These items have aspects that uniquely contribute to national or world history.

Decline

With transport becoming cheaper and therefore commercial milling more centralised it seems that the mill here fell on hard times. By the 1930’s water power was nolonger used. Newbery & Son used a steam traction engine and then a diesel tractor. The pulley connection above the water wheel can still be seen (picture right). By the 1950’s all use ceased.

Restoration

In 1978, seeing the building in decline, Sir Edmund Fairfax-Lucy leased it to miller John Bedington. In 1981, with Tom Mitchell’s help, the West Mill began to grind corn again. It has been a labour of blood, sweat and tears but genuine stone-ground flour is again on sale -please do buy some to keep their livelihood going. They are restoring the East Mill as you can see (below).

There are a lot more pictures in the Vault (see below).

Lucy’s Mill In Stratford

Stratford had had a mill on its present site for a very long time. We have found little documentary evidence to date but we have it on good authority that there was a falling out within the family and the settlement enabled yet another Thomas Lucy to take it over.

See: Lucy’s Mill Stratford

How It Works

Charlecote Mill is not just a fine example of a highly successful mill but many people have contributed, including the BBC, to its restoration.

In 2012 John Brandrick went to a huge amount of trouble to survey it and then produce a 3D model.

Click the picture to see how it works