Background
- Listing: Grade 2
- Date of building: c.1755
- Web: www.howshammill.org.uk
- Howsham Mill Gallery
- Howsham Mill Virtual Tour
The mill at Howsham probably served a dual purpose - as a working corn mill, powered by the strong flow of the river and as an 'eye-catcher', or decorative landscape feature to be observed from the Hall and its approaches. The building still bears the traces of several unusually decorative elements among them a pyramidal roof once surmounted by a statuette, a corbel-bracket that once held a sundial, and leaded pane windows.
The mill was still in use at around the time of World War Two, but after the sale of the Howsham estate the property was divided up and the mill fell into neglect.
Although the structure is roofless, has lost its' waterwheel and has suffered vandalism, the basic structure still remains. In December 2003, an application was made to convert the building into a home, but when this proved impractical a charity was formed to undertake immediate remedial work to prevent further decay.
Given the uniqueness of the design of this mill and its place within a Conservation Area and an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, an application was made to have the Grade II listing reviewed. English Heritage agreed that in theory the building was well worth a Grade II* listing, but were forced to turn down the application due to the dilapidated state of the mill.
It is hoped that restoration will result in the mill being opened as an educational resource centre promoting renewable energy. It could be made to pay its way by using the reinstated waterwheel to generate saleable electricity.
