Description

SS 90 SW THORVERTON
8/114 Thorverton Mill
-
II
Flour Mill. 1898, rebuilt after a fire. Grey limestone with brick dressings; 2 span
bitumen-painted slate roof, gabled at ends.
The internal arrangements of this large working mill have been altered for current
usage. The original arrangements are described in detail in The Miller but, in
brief, consisted of a roller milling section and wheat-cleaning department separated
by a solid wall, each section separately roofed. The mill was powered by 2 water
turbines driven by the Exe and was connected to the Exe Valley railway by a siding.
The mill was lit by electricity and included granolithic silos described as "a
pioneer installation" (The Miller). The water turbines and granolithic silos are
still in use.
4 storeys. Imposing exterior, 5 bays to the sides; 3 to the gabled ends with timber
casement windows with glazing bars and segmental brick arches. On the south east
side there are 2 segmental brick arches where the leat flows out from under the
building.
Interior : The massive late C19 grain silos are constructed of granolithic, a type of
cement based on crushed granite, patented by Stuart's Granolithic Stone Company,
Limited, of Regent Dock, Limehouse London. Comparatively thin slabs of the material
were considered to have extradordinary pressure-resistance in 1898.
The original machinery was installed by Messrs Thomas Robinson and Son, Limited, of
Rochdale who also erected the silos. The "Leffel" water turbines have diameters of
52 and 40 inches respectively; the original electrical supply was installed by Messrs
Christy Bros. of Chelmsford with a dynamo driven by one of the turbines.
An imposing rural industrial building. For a complete account see The Miller
"British and Irish Flour Mills : Mr E.J. Coombe's New Roller Plant at Thorverton",
October 3, 1898. p.p. 528-529.

Listing NGR: SS9354601771

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26552111

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Surrey (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects, Supplement 2014