Tidal Mill, Yarmouth
The tidal mill at Yarmouth, Isle of Wight, was built in 1793, replacing an earlier, wooden mill dating back to the mid 17th century.
The mill and mill house are in one building. Built of brick on a stone base with a slate roof, the building has four storeys and six bays. The three northern bays being the mill, the southern bays, the mill house.
The newly built mill was offered to let[1]:
CORN-MILL, ISLE of WIGHT
TO be LET, and entered on immediately, a new-erected commodious CORN TIDE MILL, near Yarmouth, in the Isle of Wight, being 60 ft in length, and 29 feet in width, with four floors, and a most convenient stage to drive three pairs of French stones, a dressing-mill and two machines, hoisting tackle, and good pastreys for shooting wheat and flour. Vessels of 200 Tons burthen may load within 200 yards from a lighter, or vessels of 60 tons may be loaded alongside the mill. The situation of this mill for every kind of millering business, and being in a remarkable good wheat company, is particularly eligible. Will grind from 15 to 20 loads per week, during the whole year upon an average. For particulars apply to Mr. Squire, at Yarmouth; or Mr. Way at Yarmouth-mill. |
In September 1856 a chimney being build at Yarmouth Mill for a steam engine collapsed killing one man (the miller, Mr. Charles Harris) and injuring three others; one of those injured later died[2]. The rebuilding of the chimney commenced in 1857 by Mr. G. Wheeler, of Cowes, with the foundations some four or five feet deeper than the previous[3].
in 1869 the mill was in the ownership of Lord Heytesbury, and the tenant was Mr. James Blake when, due to the great amount of corn stored in the building, the joists gave way carrying with it the next floor. Luckily, this occurred whilst the workers were at dinner and no one was hurt[4].
The Mill is positioned south of Yarmouth town at the point where Thorley Brook enters the Yar river. 19th century OS maps show that it was positioned just south of Yarmouth Gas Works.
In the 1880's a railway viaduct and embankment were built across the mill pond to carry the Newport to Freshwater railway - various writers have suggested that the building of these features disturbed the flow of water and resulted in the pond silting up and the mill ceasing to operate. The 1946 OS map shows it as disused.
In 1925 'Yarmouth Mill with free harbourage' was one of the auction lots in a sale on behalf of Sir Charles Seely, Bart at which nearly 2000 acres of his estates went under the hammer[5].
Today (2016) the Mill Building is used as holiday accommodation.
