Monument record MDO2419 - Silk mill, South Street/ Ludbourne Road, Sherborne

In 1814 Thomas Wilmott expanded his father’ silk business by purchasing St Andrew’s Mill from William Burnett together with machinery for silk throwing. Burnett himself had been listed in connection with silk industries. Elements of the mill buildings survived as part of the offices for Wincanton Engineering Ltd until they were demolished for the Sainsbury’s development in 1998. there is a small chance that surviving dressed stone masonry on the South Street frontage at the end of the eastern garden boundary wall of the Olde Cottage may be part of the original mill.

None recorded

Lindsey Archaeological Services conducted an archaeological desk based assessment of land at South Street/ Ludbourne Road, Sherborne during 1997 in advance of re-development of the site as Sainsbury’s Supermarket [2]. This was followed by an archaeological evaluation [3] and watching brief during demolition and levelling of the site in 1998 [4].
Documentary research revealed that a silk mill was in existence on the site before 1814 when it was purchased by Thomas Wilmott as a mill with machinery for silk throwing. The previous owner, William Burnett, was already listed in connection with the silk industries. The silk mill seems to have been constructed on the site of a medieval water mill, St. Andrew’s Mill, some time after 1733 [4].

Stone buildings incorporated into the modern Wincanton Engineering works were probably remnants of the silk mill [2]. The engineering works were demolished in 1998 for the Sainsbury’s development. Demolition showed that its earliest element had been attached to the rear part of the Olde Cottage end wall [3]. Prior to demolition the excavation of three evaluation trenches had located two possible culverts channelling water courses shown on 19th century and earlier maps. A large ditch was recorded in Trench 1 which may represent the mill leat. Post-medieval and modern pits and ditches recorded at this time may also have been associated with the silk mill and its subsequent use [3].

<1> 1923, Kellys Directory of Hampshire, Wiltshire, Dorsetshire, the Isle of Wight and the Channel Isles, 1923, 2701 (Monograph). SWX1512.

<2> Field, N, 1997, South Street/ Ludbourne Road, Sherborne, Dorset. Archaeological desk top study. (Unpublished document). SDO10390.

<3> Williams, M, 1998, South Street/ Ludbourne Road, Sherborne, Dorset. Archaeological evaluation (Unpublished document). SDO10394.

<4> Tann, G, 1998, South Street/ Ludbourne Road, Sherborne, Dorset. Archaeological monitoring during groundworks for a supermarket development (Unpublished document). SDO10393.

<5> Historic England, Historic England Archive, RCH01/063 (Index). SDO14738.

Project The South West Textile Mills Project was started in the 1990s by the Swindon office of the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England. Following a period of 3-4 years when the project was put on hold, English Heritage restarted the project in early 2003. To date (20/12/2004) the project is still ongoing and will continue for at least another year when it will conclude with a publication on the project, expected in about 12-18 months.

<6> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1305809 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

May 16 2022 1:47PM