BRACEWELL CORN MILL

[Stanley]

BARNOLDSWICK: BRACEWELL MILL. SD862491

Site visited and watercourses walked by SCG in May 1984.

The site was first identified by me from the 1717 Plan of Bracewell held in the Lancashire Record Office at Preston. (DX 16q/1).

The First Ed. OS gave further clues and the layout was walked as shown on the plan.

The present day layout is confused by several factors. The Stock Beck has almost cut into the line of the race about 100 yards west of the site of the weir. The original site of the weir was identified by the 1853 6” map and the lie of the land. Fragments of stonework are visible in the north bank of the beck and there is evidence of retaining banks in the field on the North side.

The race follows the field boundaries from the weir right up to the mill site but further confusion can be experienced by the fact that the Flush Beck has been cleaned out and the flow in the head race reversed from its junction with the Flush Beck and Hall Lane. A new watercourse has been formed from the point where Flush Beck now meets Hall Lane down to the Stock Beck. This may of course follow the course of an original by-wash but on the whole I think that if there was one it was on the east side of Hall Lane. There is a water filled dyke running down to the beck from that point and one would suppose that the original construction would have been made in such a way to avoid any bursting pressure on the culvert under Hall Lane.

The goit is heavily banked for most of its path and runs into the course of the bottom beck. Another source of confusion here is the fact that the Stock Beck has changed its course and recent drainage works have been carried out to empty the bottom beck into the Stock Beck at a point 150 yards upstream of the original outlet.

If the course of the goit is followed it opens out into a clearly defined dam and the site of the clow can be seen. Directly below the clow there is a depression which must be the remains of the wheelpit. The tail race is clearly defined beyond this point to its original exit into the Stock Beck. The outline of the foundations are clear and coincide with the shape shown on the First Edition 6” OS map. There are two millstones lay inside the perimeter of the footings and a fragment near the exit of the tail race from the mill. In the wall which runs down to the beck, which was probably built from the remnants of the mill are dressed stones, 17th C brick and stones which look as though they have been subjected to heat. There is a roadbed running from the site northwards to the field boundary where it passes between two stone gateposts and turns east. The road can be clearly distinguished right through to its junction with the main road at Yarlside.

SCG/May1984.
Filed in Research04