Mill history

Just how old is the Mill?

Well taken from the NNP website

Hethpool : The Watermill

A mill is also mentioned in medieval sources. The North East Mills Group suggest it occupied the same site as the present day Hethpool Mill, which is shown on several maps from Armstrong (1769) onwards, including Greenwood (1828) and the 1st edition Ordnance Survey. This lies to the south of the village on the haugh-land on the east side of the College Burn.

(Information supplied by the North East Mills Group)

Site Name: Hethpool Mill

• Grid Reference:  NT896279
• First recorded 1212
• Last recorded 1855

There is a mention of a mill at Hethpool in 1212 when Robert Muschamp gave over title of the mill (Kirkham Cartulary, fol. 83; cf. NCH XII (1922), 252).  It belonged to the Grays of Chillingham in the 17th century and it was still held by them in 1873 (Griffith 1974) though there is no evidence the mill was still operational by this time. Millers are shown in the 1827 and 1855 directories but by 1887 a shepherd occupies the house. The 1866 Ordnance Survey named the mill but shows no sign of it being in use.

Trafalgar woods

Just as you come to the top of the road into the College Valley, stop and look to your right. Here is a small oak wood planted in 2005 to commemorate the valley’s connection back to Lord Collingwood and the Battle of Trafalgar. This is Trafalgar wood.It is an easy climb to the top of the hill ( Whitehill ) with spendid views across the valley. This can also be the start of the walk up to Ringchesters and Elsdonburn ( Hillfort trail).

This picture is taken from within the wood looking north out of the valley.

 

Hethpool Mill – Old Pictures

Visitors to Hethpool Mill often ask what it was like before the conversion and want to know more about it’s history.

Here are a couple of pictures pre conversion