Listed Building record MDO12048 - Warehouse, North Mills, North Mills Road, Bridport

A large three-storeyed stone warehouse with a double gabled roof of mid-19th century date forming part of the former North Mills twine, netting and sailcloth works.

North Mills was established in the early 19th century as a large water- and steam-powered complex on the site of a corn mill. It was occupied by William Hounsell and Co. and used for twine, netting and sailcloth manufacture and continued in use until 1982. (1) (2) (3)

The largest surviving building from North Mills is a large well-preserved three-storeyed warehouse, built in two phases in the mid-19th century. It is of hammer dressed stone with a double pitched slate roof and coped gables on kneelers. There are five ranges of windows on the north elevation, most of which are blocked. The east elevation has two ranges of planked loading doors with winch hoists above. The west elevation has two ranges of casement windows with glazing bars. There is a range of late 19th century northlight sheds attached to the south. Internally, the floors are supported on iron columns. (1) (2)

The main remaining building on the site is a mid-nineteenth century double warehouse of roughly dressed coursed rubble stone. Each half is of 5 bays and 3 storeys plus a loft. At the east end are two sets of loading doors to all floors, each set with a projecting hoist-beam. The windows and doors have arched stone heads. The quoins and jambs of the southern range are of rough stone, those of northern range are dressed. <7>

<1> Williams, M, 2006, Bridport and West Bay. The buildings of the flax and hemp industry, 29 (Monograph). SDO10498.

<2> Jones, B V and Williams, M, 2002, Bridport: An Assessment of Townscape & Buildings, 59 (Unpublished document). SDO10497.

<3> Sims, R, 2006, The Rope, Net and Twine Industry of Bridport. 2) Factory Mills (Monograph). SDO10541.

<4> Historic England, Historic England Archive, 2K/04722 (Index). SDO14738.

NORTH MILLS

<5> Historic England, Historic England Archive, 2K/07190 (Index). SDO14738.

COPIES OF IMAGES HELD AT THE MUSEUM OF NET MANUFACTURE. Photographic reproductions 17 June 2004 of images held at Museum of Net Manufacture, Uploders.

<6> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BF111624 (Index). SDO14738.

Bridport Project

<7> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, Externally held archive: RCH01/063 South West Textile Mills Project (Unpublished document). SDO17323.

<8> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1305799 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Dec 21 2022 4:08PM