Churchend Farm, near Eastington

Helena reminded me of a guided walk we went on a couple of years ago with the local industrial history society. It was fascinating. We were taken to several places near here, but this spot caught my eye and I wandered back there today after a short walk along the local canal, the Stroudwater Navigation.

This farm building, which is probably only a couple of hundred years old, is part of what was once a thriving woollen mills complex centred around the very old church, hence Churchend. Unfortunately this is just about all that is left of the old industrial buildings, as one of the last remaining small mill buildings has just been converted into a dwelling (sensitively I must add).

Before the Stroudwater Navigation canal was built the adjacent River Frome had been partly canalised to allow boats up from the River Severn to bring materials back and forth to this site. The river's water was also used to generate power for the mills. This weir is relatively modern, but is still part of the complex waterway systems created to divert water from the River Frome between the various old mill buildings.

From the Victoria County History for Eastington:
'The mill of Eastington manor recorded from 1390 was apparently Churchend Mill. It was held before 1390 by John Bridley and in that year his successor as tenant asked for a reduction in rent because the mill was dilapidated. In 1439 the mill estate, which included a cottage, corn-mill, fullingmill, and 14 a. of land, was held by Richard Bridley.'

Historic England say:
A watermill and a fulling mill were documented in 1575. By the early 19th century the site consisted of dyehouses, a mill and a drying ground, the mill was mainly used for spinning. They then comprised a Dye House, a Fulling  Mill, a Spinning Mill, a Watermill and two Woollen Mills.' . 

By 1892, Churchend Mill was comprised of just a new block of four stories, an old mill with one water-wheel, and other buildings, and it was demolished c. 1912 and the site was then in use as a market garden.'