Remains of Grasslees Mill. Photo by Harry Rowland, 1960s.

NY 953978: The remains of a small 18th century watermill complex was found at Grasslees (NY 95429789). The complex consisted of a mill, corn drying building and a walled enclosure. The mill race was fed from a small spring to the north and by a mill race from a large pond to the west. Situated in the west wall of the enclosure is a well-preserved corn drying kiln. (1)

Scheduled. (see plan). (2)

Corn-drying kiln measures 6.5m diameter x 2m deep. Attached to a rectangular stone building, 10m x 6m. (3)

The kiln was built as a round structure with a rectangular service building butting against it, (see photograph [1952]). Built of roughly dressed stone in irregular courses. The overall height of the kiln would have been at least 8ft.
'Girslees miln' is referred to in the Elsdon Parish Register as early as 1687 and is shown on the Elsdon common division of 1731. The mill and its ancillary features seems to have been complete when surveyed by the Ordnance Survey c.1863. (4)

Survey of the site commissioned by the National Park Authority in 1994. Earliest documentary reference to a mill here is in 1618 when the 'Mill of Grisleays' was held by Alan and Thomas Wanlass. The mill appears to have been abandoned in the 19th century. The remains visible today are earthworks of the buildings with some stone walls still protruding through the turf. The wheel pit collapsed after the survey, in winter 1994, but originally measured c.1m wide by 6m long. The adjacent mill building measures 19m long and is subdivided into four rooms. A pile of four intact millstones remains in the western end of the building. The corn drying kiln has been dismantled since it was recorded in 1952 (see authority 4) and used for building stone; it now survives as a grass covered ring bank 5.5m external diameter. (5)

Water corn mill. (6)

Site visited as part of Farm Environment Plan where noted the corn dryer is visible as a ring bank structure, the wheel pit has collapsed and several millstones are visible. Noted as in poor condition. (7)

The monument is noted as in a state of gradual decline and in a poor condition. Damage is primarily resulting from established trees growing within the structure of the buildings, as well as cattle. The site is also affected by (winter) seasonal flooding. (8)

Grasslees Mill (index no 35/018). On Grassless Burn into the River Coquet. Overshot wheel. Three pairs of wheels. Square kiln. Ruined building. Walls etc about 3 foot above ground. Noted by Major. (9)

NY 953 978. 18th century water mill at Grasslees. Scheduled No ND/618. (10a)