Nearby to Christchurch Priory is Christchurch castle and the Norman House, the ruins of which set the scene of medieval life. Even the pubs on the High Street draw you in with stories of local legends and ghosts that have been haunting so long that they’re now just one of the regulars.

An unassuming mill

Within this historic setting sits a small stone building on the Quayside. Under the backdrop of the towering Priory, it doesn’t do much to draw attention, but the curious passerby will stop and linger, testing the old wooden door to see if they can find out more about this humble building.

Place Mill was built in approximately 1100AD, and thought to be the same mill that on this site was mentioned in the Domesday Book (1086). In this respect, it’s a similar age to the Priory, as the Domesday Book noted that there was a priory of 24 secular canons on the site of the current Priory.

Outside the Mill

By the door you can see evidence of where horses and carts have caused the brickwork to be worn away whilst delivering sacks of grain or collecting flour from the door of the Stone Floor above.

As you look at the Mill you can distinguish the different ages of the bricks. First are the large Saxon ones of the original Mill at the base of the building, then Tutor brickwork when the mill was possibly rebuilt after a fire, and at the top is the Victorian brickwork which was added when the Mill was re-roofed and refurbished in 1874.

Inside the Mill

On the ground floor you can see the Great Spur Wheel which is driven by the waterwheel through a series of cogs, which turn the millstones on the first floor. The machinery has all been refurbished or replaced in an exact copy of the originals.

Interestingly, all the cogs and wheels work from metal to apple wood, which meant that the wood would wear out long before the metal as it would have been a lot easier for the miller to replace these from nearby trees.

The sack hoist enables movements up and down of sacks of grain of flour through the Mill and it is operated by a mechanism in the top of the building connected to the waterwheel.

When in use the workshop would not have been open to the waterwheel as it is now. The miller would have had a small forge for metal repairs and a carpentry bench to carry out the many running repairs.

The Waterwheel

The Mill Stream branches from the River Avon almost a kilometre away at Brewhouse Hole. Place Mill is unique because it takes power from one river and discharges it to another - the Stour. Both rivers are tidally affected and sometimes, following heavy rain, the Mill is flooded - in one occasion in the recent past to the height of the counter on the ground floor!

When the Mill was in production up until 1908, the miller would have ensured almost constant milling by using weirs up river to control the flow. Sadly, the building would not stand the vibration now so it is not possible to demonstrate it working fully. However, the machinery is turned regularly when tidal conditions allow.

The Mill today

Place Mill was bought by the Council in 1908 and was rented out as a boat shed. In 1980 it was taken back for restoration & to be made open to the public. Over recent years, the Mill has opened over the summer for local art exhibitions.

You can discover more of Christchurch’s historic buildings on the Christchurch Cultural Trail.