Reflections on Sawbridgeworth and Hallingbury Mill on the Stort

Friday, 09 September 2011 08:00

Here is a look back at more of our cruise up the Stort on Thursday. Our first boat on the move yesterday was a hire boat.

Leaving Sheering Mill Lock

It arrived at the top of Sheering Mill Lock and once I rose in the lock it was a surprise to see this ahead .....

One of the more stylish riverside developments we have seen, except ....

It is just a shame that although the bollards along the development look inviting, there are " private - no mooring" signs and the small private marina that is part of the "look" is empty. Perhaps the residents do not like those "nasty, smelly boats" running their engines at all times of the day and night! Or just maybe the developer had planing permission providing there was a "nod" to the river, whether or not it was used.

Private marina entrance

A more sympathetic use of the old Sawbridgeworth Maltings followed

Our second boat on the move arrived at the top of Sawbridgeworth Lock: a wide boat, on its way down to Roydon apparently.

Below the lock are wall ties on both sides of the retaining wing walls. They are marked RSN 1869. It was originally built in 1766/9 as a turf lock and rebuilt in 1919 in brick and concrete. I have now discovered that the lock buildings used to be maltings, presumably associated with Burton's Mill located alongside and on the site of the clapboard mill I mentioned yesterday.

Wall ties

A BW work boat had caught the "habit" of using mooring bollards on lock landings, except this one had broken free at the bows due to the poor quality of mooring rope. (Have BW not heard of "rope"?) John got off across the stern.

Work boat on Tednambury lock landing

Little Hallingbury Mill can be seen across the meadows from Tednambury Lock.

Little Hallingbury Mill

The Domesday Book mentions a grist mill here. It was completely rebuilt in 1643 and then used for silk winding. In 1778, it was converted into a corn mill. It seems that the current mill was built in 1874 and continued as a corn mill until 1952. The mill stream was dug out by hand when the cereal carrying barges began to use the Navigation. They off loaded at the back of the mill.

Entrance to Mill stream

The mill stream, above the lock, began its life as part of the leisure boating industry with a small fleet of hire boats. The mill is now a hotel and restaurant and the mill stream which leads to it is also home to Hallingbury Marina.

Just to add to our day the sun eventually came out and we saw blue sky over our rough mooring - wonderful.

The Stort Navigation ahead of us - towards Bishop's Stortford