Wormingford Cut

River Stour Boating

River Stour General Information

John Constables link with Bures

The Mill is situated on the Nayland Road opposite the entrance to Claypits Avenue. The "Stour Valley" public footpath runs through the site from the main road towards Wormingford.

Brief history of Mill:-
The first recorded mill on or near this site at Bures has been dated at 1190.

In 1640 the timber framed Mill House was erected and extended in 1820. Part of this structure can still be seen today.

The river was opened to navigation in 1715 which enabled barges to transport material to the mill for grinding. Foreign wheat was used mainly for grinding into flour which arrived by barge from Mistley.
Water in the early years was the only and obvious source of power to turn the massive 16ft stone grinding wheels.

Cornelius Hitchcock purchased the mill in 1875 and a further mill at Wormingford during 1879. His greatest achievement was in 1893 when he changed over from stones to roller flour milling at Bures. Instead of producing wholemeal flour on stones, the new Hungarian system of roller flour milling produced the white flour so eagerly demanded by the public.

The river navigation was closed in 1912 - the last barge to the Mill was during 1911.

Flour production ended in 1929.
In 1932 the mill wheel was removed and replaced by a 220hp diesel engine. However within a year all flour grinding was transferred to Fingringhoe Mill to take advantage of the waterside transport. Soon Bures Mill was devoid of all machinery and became a producer of animal feeds.

In 1935 three feet of water was lost from the river following the breakdown of the floodgates at Wormingford Mill. The gates were never re-installed and the river has never regained this full height since.
In 1948 mains electricity came to the Mill and this allowed larger machinery to be installed. As production increased the buildings were extended on three occasions, 1957, 1963 and 1980. During the last extension a second production line was installed.
In 1989, 64 different types of feed were produced - all was going well.

However, with the great changes in agriculture culminating in the almost total demise of mixed farming saw the collapse of its market. Production fell sharply between 1984 and 1989 with the result the business was sold to Clark & Butcher of Soham.

1990 was the last year of animal feed production at the Mill and the end of three generations of milling by the Hichcock family over a period of 115 years.
The buyers only purchased the stock and business of the Mill, so consequently the site was soon put up for sale. The new owners soon obtained permission to demolish all buildings attached to the Grade 2 timber Mill. This just leaves the 18 century and 1820 buildings.

At one time on the Stour and its tributaries there were 30 mills producing flour. Only three changed to roller milling, which extended their life span considerably. The three were Dedham (flour milling, closed 1982), Bures (animal feed,closed 1990) and Cornard (pet food) which is still in existance although production has been moving to their site on the Industrial Est.

(Information supplied by Mr W. Hichcock, previous mill owner)