Straits Mill (BHT1) Traditional Cache
Hanoosh: As the owner has not responded to my previous log requesting that they check this cache I am archiving it.
Regards
Brenda
Hanoosh - Volunteer UK Reviewer www.geocaching.com
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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From "The History of Straits Mill" by Stewart Seymour Straits Mill (later also known as Hobbs Mill, following change of ownership) was one of a series of water mills along the River Pant/Blackwater which, in turn, were just a few of the many Water Mills across the county of Essex. It was built in 1781 by Robert Strait as an overshot mill and in 1802 described as “Straits fulling and grinding mills attached, timber built and tiled” New machinery was installed in 1830 including a new wheel driving three pairs of stones with room for a fourth, according to a sale offer in 1832. The buyer was Henry Hobbs, whose family continued there until the 1890’s. Its skeleton showed a fine four-stone flour mill, possibly the 1832 rebuild. The powerful wheel, wood paddles on iron frame, the big iron pit wheel with wooden cogs, the iron wallower and spur long defied the elements, with the iron columns to support the floor under the vanished stones. The mill operated until 1913. Sometime afterwards the mill and attached house became vacant and remained empty ever since, standing open to wind and weather in the desolate wasteland on the edge of a busy sand and gravel pit, resulting in inevitable decay and ruin by sheer neglect! The Braintree Civic Society fought and campaigned over it throughout the 1950’s but no-one could, or would, do anything to save it. The Mill (and house) had a preservation order placed on it, but that was lifted in the very early 1970’s; finally in 1974 it was sadly demolished by its owners, Colchester-based cement & gravel company ARC, despite protests by the Civic Society to prevent this from happening. As you cross the bridge you probably wouldn't have realised that there was once a watermill on the Bocking side. The container is not big enough for a TB. Please sign the log (you’ll need tweezers to retrieve it) and enjoy your walk.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
N fgbarf guebj sebz gur evire.
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