Fromehall Mill is deteriorating

I took Camilla to Fromehall Mill this afternoon so we could check on its condition. I had to return a borrowed lighting soft box to a friend who has a studio with a green screen, and separate audio and video editing suites in an adjacent and newer mill building.  Andrew is concerned because the water is leaking in from this building into is studio and they can't find the owner to do repairs.

As trustees of Stroud Preservation Trust we like to keep an eye on local old buildings and try to help in their upkeep. I took some pictures so that we can keep a record and also show them to the Conservation Officers of the planning authority, who might be able to exert some pressure. The original bed of the River Frome passes under the mill in the foreground where you can see an old ironwork sluice gate which doesn't look as if it will work. All it is doing is catching leaves and branches and forming a dam which will flood. The majority of the river water was channelled around the back of the building when it was built. After leaving Andrew, who showed us this view of the Mill from his fire escape, we walked around to the far side of it which I have blipped before. 

There are four distinct buildings made of different materials according to the time they were built. The Cotswold limestone stonework of this building is being damaged by the water from the blocked and broken gutters and drainpipes all around this building.  When we reached the far side where there is a courtyard we found a carpentry business occupying the ground floor behind these windows.  The tenant said we could go into the rest of the building using another fire escape.

So we rather gingerly ventured inside and were pleasantly surprised at the condition of the three floored building.  It had obviously been occupied until about ten years ago and there was only damage to a few but strategic parts of the roof and walls where plaster had fallen away and stains were spreading in many directions.  But it won't take long once the water comes in as dry rot will result.

We then explored the adjacent four storey warehouse building set at right angles to this mill and found it was in better condition.  But except for two businesses on the ground floor there were no other occupants at all. Im today's 'Extra photos' I've added an interior view looking north along the top floor of the mill building from the end wall above the mill race. It makes an interesting contrast to a similar view taken last Tuesday of the top floor of a similar age mill which is occupied by an architecture practice.

Here is an earlier blip of the mill