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Mathern Mill and Millhouse

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NPRN40073
Map ReferenceST59SW
Grid ReferenceST5154091636
Unitary (Local) AuthorityMonmouthshire
Old CountyMonmouthshire
CommunityMathern
Type Of SiteCORN MILL
PeriodPost Medieval
Description
Former corn mill, in use until circa 1968, and which is said to retain much of its machinery including the water wheel. It is on the site of a medieval mill and is the lowest mill on the Mounton Brook. The present mill may be 18th century in origin but the exterior is difficult to date. The front red brick range appears to be c1840, and if this is an addition to an existing mill as seems likely, then the main mill behind could be late 18/early 19th century, the mill as it is now appearing on the 1839 tithe map. It appears to have had no alteration after the mid 19th century until closure and only very minor changes since.

The mill consists of two ranges, one set in front of the other, and with the millhouse at the left hand end of the rear range. The narrower front range is said to be the engine house and is of three storeys, faced with red brick and with a Welsh slate gabled roof. The elevation to the road is of two window bays with flat arched windows with small panes on the second floor with their heads at eaves level. On the first floor is a segmental headed window with small panes to the left, and a segmental headed plank door to the right. There are two boarded segmental headed openings on the ground floor.
There is a weather boarded outskirt with corrugated iron roof against the eastern gable end. This hides the base of the gable wall and the upper half is blind. The entrance to the engine house is achieved through a doorway in the western gable wall, via a plank door with an elliptical head.

The rear range comprises the mill on the right, behind the engine house, and the mill house on the left. These are three storeys and loft, of stone walls with external rendered cladding and Welsh slate gabled roof with red brick chimneys, the ridge chimney is original, the one on the front wall a rebuild. The east gable is not rendered and can be seen to be white limestone. There is a square opening in the gable apex and others below masked by heavy ivy.
The south elevation, to the right of the house, has a door and a small 2-light window and a taking-in door in the floor above. The western part of this range comprises the mill house with a southern elevation of two window bays; small windows on the second floor with heads at eaves level; sash windows without glazing bars and with slightly cambered heads on the first floor. On the ground floor, a sash window without glazing bars to left and a doorway to right. These windows have been replaced with hardwood replicas.There is an additional door and window in the gable end.

The mill is said to contain the main drive gears on the ground floor, the crown wheel and four pairs of French stones on the first floor, two pairs of which are in situ together with wooden horses and hoppers; the hoist also remains. It is not known what the engine house may contain, nor is it known why it is called an engine house as there is no chimney or a boiler house in evidence.
(Source; Cadw listing database) S Fielding RCAHMW 17/10/2005