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The Project

Introduction

 Cransley North Mill (SP832781) is situated at Cransley Reservoir (built sometime between 1885 and 1927) near Kettering Northamptonshire. It was originally sited on a tributary of the River Nene known as Thorpe Brook. Possible historical records of the mill include a reference for Pulton's manor in 1230 and 1266; reference to a watermill 1350, 1528 and 1549. In January 29/30th 1812, Cransley North Mill is described as a 'Watermill with going gears' and in the tenure of John Fulton. The only reference to the mill's structure is from a plan of Cransley Hall Estate near Kettering dating from 1885, surveyed by Driver and Co. It describes the mill as 'stone built with a tiled roof consisting ground floor with two pairs of stones and two floors over. It is driven by a 14ft over shot wheel which is supplied from the mill head adjoining'. This evidence seemed to conflict with eye witness reports from 1976, when the water level dropped considerably due to drought and a brick structure was seen protruding some 0.5m out of the water. As a result of the subsequent survey it was discovered that the brickwork which had been described, was in fact part of the mill dam and that the mill building referred to in the 1885 account no longer exists. It was with the intention of addressing archaeological queries such as this, that the Cransley Mill project was undertaken.

Detail of brickwork atop Mill Dam. Scale metric

Aims of the Survey

1) To locate and establish the extent of the surviving archaeology of Cransley Mill
2) To produce an archaeological survey of the extant features.
3) To attempt an interpretation of the archaeological, documentary and aural evidence.

Further Information

• The Group

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