Old Mill—Market Lane

An excellent conversion by Mark Dransfield of Hull of – not surprisingly – an old mill. A Grade II Listed Building the mill itself was built c.1803 and described as ‘lately fitted up’ in 1819. It was originally used to grind chalk, and a barley mill and malt kilns were added c.1815. Originally a six-sail mill it transferred to a gas powered engine around 1870 following an accident that caused one of the sails to fall into the public street. Gas power was used continually until the mill ceased to be used in the early 1950s, although the sail mill was described as ‘disused’ as early as 1886 (Ordnance Survey).

The former mill was converted to a public house with the popular ‘Courtyard Restaurant’ on the first floor c.1990, and the mill itself is now part of the bar area. During the conversion a Pagan Anglo-Saxon cemetery was unearthed and resulted in many interesting finds including swords, jewellery and 106 skeletons. The car park covers the site of former lime-kilns, which allegedly date from c.575 AD. New owners took over the Old Mill in 2005 and began a regular event list of live music, including annual festivals.