Research by Richard Crumbleholme

History : 

It appears that a water mill has existed here at least since the 14th century. The very early records do not locate the mill in the village but it appears to have been worth a reasonable amount both before and after the Black Death (1348). This suggests that the mill was well used.

1332 Wynt er born Stipulton (Dorset Lay Subsidy Roll)                                                                                                                   [See on village map]

De Hug one Molend inario viij.d.q.

(Translates literally as Hugh the miller—being assessed at £7)

1382 Writ (372) at Westminster on 12th September concerning John Devereux.  (see Devereux family)  (father of Sir John Devereux)

On the day that he died, he held in his demesne as of fee 1 messuage 60 acres of land, 40 acres of pasture and 1 water mill in Wynterborne Stypulton of the Earl of March by knight service. The said messuage land pasture and mill are worth in all issues according to their true value yearly 24s 4d.

1788 Estate Map (Bolton Papers) – The mill is shown in the present location but with no stream shown adjoining the road (ie stream runs through mill only)

1798 Lieutenancy Records (1798-1852) DCRO ref LB : 1/1

Millers and Bakers recorded in August 1798 

Ugglescombe Hundred - Winterbourne Steepleton

Joseph Groves : 1 Mill;  Joseph Groves : 1 oven

Note : This would appear to be the first mention of the Groves family operating the mill and also a bakery. The mill was known as "Groves Mill"

1841 Tithe Map - The mill is again shown with no stream adjoining road.

Plot No 3 on map with landowner listed as Rev Skerry and occupier Henry Groves (Dwelling house, Grist mill & garden)

Census & Kellys Directory Listings :

1841 Census : Henry Sims & Robert Bilk -  Bakers aged 60 & 30.  No miller recorded  but Groves family listed as yeomen.

1848 Kellys Directory - 1 miller (Henry Groves)

1851 Census : Samuel Mitchell - Miller aged 39;  Robert Bilk -baker

1861 Census : Henry Groves - Miller aged 69; employing 2 miller's labourers Robert Diment aged 49 & Charles Mitchell aged 40.

1865 Kellys Directory—Henry Groves miller           (Hence the name "Groves Mill")

1871 Census - 2 millers

1880 Census & Kellys Directory - Mrs Mary Groves miller

1886 1st Edition OS map (6”) - Steepleton mill (corn)

1889 Kellys Directory - William Henry Elford, miller (water) & baker

1901 Census - William House aged 68 - foreman miller.

1911 Census - not transcribed

1921 Census - available soon !

1962 – Estate Sale : Mill and cottage included in sale of the Steepleton Manor Estate

1963 - Newcomen Society (Dorset Water Mills Index – DCRO ROH 19/3/12)

1964 - Photographs  (see below) Mill appeared to be operational ??

Records the mill as derelict but complete with two separate overshot waterwheels set abreast – both are 2400mm in diameter, one being 1800mm wide and the other only 450mm wide. Both wheels were made by Henry George Martin whose business was established in Dorchester in 1890. 

                                                 Above : The main water wheel (photo RC June 2011)

The wheel was driven by an overshot chute fed from the mill pond behind. The wheel also drove a water pump on either side by means of a crank arrangement. These 2 No ram pumps drew water from a masonry tank immediately behind (again fed from the mill pond) and pumped the water via iron pipes to buildings in the village. The writer found such pipes running parallel and about 900mm from the front elevation of his nearby Old Manor Cottage.  

Steepleton Water - the Mill ponds

Operating a water mill on a winterbourne stream called for some water engineering in order to store water in adequate volume and head (ie height above the water wheel) to operate the mill. The original arrangement is far from certain but the C19th layout is shown below.

The above photograph c1900 taken from the west before the modern bridge & slip road up to the present main road. The trees no longer exist. The outlet to mill leat was just to the north (left) side of the distant cottages and the present large scale OS map shows a sluice gate which actually no longer exists.

At the west end of the village, the south Winterborne stream runs through Steepleton Water or Ponds which was a large pond covering approximately one acre in area. In later years, it was used as watercress beds but today is sadly overgrown. There are springs in this area which supplement the flow of water in the stream.

To the east of the modern slip road a mill pond existed to feed the leat (man made water channel). An embankment on the south side of this mill pond still exists with two disused sluice gates. The west gate controls water flow into the man made leat. The east one controls water flow into the roadside stream via a small cascade to the lower level.

This “storage” pond(s) were fed by the South Winterbourne stream plus a spring which flows up into the ponds area. The man made channel or “leat” was carefully constructed to convey water approximately 750 metres from the ponds to the mill. A series of weirs and hatches along the length of the leat allowed water to be regulated to suit the requirements of the mill. This needed special attention during the summer months when water was scarce.                                                                      

The Leat : 

The leat runs at a higher level and to the north of the roadside stream. Water still flows through the western end but it has been blocked approximately half way along its course and the remaining eastern section is now derelict although its route and some hatches are still visible. Earlier maps appear to show this leat as the main water course through the village and this may reflect the fact that every drop of water was important. Many modern maps still show the leat as still being in use !  It is understood that it was blocked off in the 1960/70's following a dispute between landowners. It has now been damaged and overgrown and is well beyond repair / re-instatement. It could have at least generated some electricity !

Below : This extract from 1886 OS map shows the two mill ponds clearly and the annotations prove that they were indeed mill ponds. The sluices are also annotated. The present day stream that runs beside the road does not appear to be in existence at this time ? although the sluice controlling this is shown. This "stream" may have only been used during times of excessive water as a bypass to the mill.

Immediately behind the mill, the leat supplied water to a deep walled mill pond which can also still be seen and acted as a final water store. The miller would be able to select the wheel to be used and regulate its speed by adjusting the final hatch. There was also a bypass hatch opened when the mill was not in use to let the water flow directly into the tail race pond. This area appears to have been called “The Creek”

This final pond still survives in front of the Mill Lane cottages. Having driven the mill, water was finally returned to the stream adjacent to the present day road bridge. This road bridge (see the The River and its Bridges) has its cuts (front edge of supporting piers) facing the mill suggesting that when built the majority of the water flowed via the mill and not from the roadside stream.                                                                                                   

The mill appears to have always ground corn and from the later Kelly's directories, it seems that an oven existed on the same site as the miller is also listed as a baker. Many local houses had bread ovens (Old Manor Cottage has a 1500mm diameter one) and locals would have probably taken their corn to the mill as required.

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