Rooksbury Mill facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rooksbury Mill
Rooksbury Mill and Mill House
Type	Watermill
Location	Rooksbury Road, Andover
OS grid reference	SU 35485 44557
Area	Hampshire
Owner	Private
Listed Building – Grade II
Official name: Rooksbury Mill
Designated	24 June 1983
Reference no.	1236564
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Rooksbury Mill is an old watermill located on the River Anton in Andover, Hampshire, England. It's a special building, officially known as a Grade II listed building, which means it's protected because of its history. While the mill building itself is privately owned, the land around it is a local nature reserve, cared for by the Test Valley Borough Council.

A Look at Rooksbury Mill's History

Rooksbury Mill has a very long history. The building you see today was built in the late 1500s or early 1600s. However, there might have been a mill here much, much earlier. The Domesday Book, a famous survey from 1089, mentions eleven mills in Andover. Rooksbury Mill could be one of them!

Fires at the Mill

Over the years, Rooksbury Mill has seen its share of exciting events, including a few big fires.

The 1812 Lightning Strike

On a Friday afternoon in May 1812, lightning struck a barn at Rooksbury Mill. The barn quickly caught fire and was completely destroyed. A nearby stable and two carts were also lost. People were amazed at how fast one of the carts was ruined. Two men who were sheltering near the barn were okay, but one was temporarily blinded. At this time, the Holloway family owned the Mill.

The 1843 Accidental Fire

Years later, in November 1843, another fire broke out. This one seemed to be an accident. It destroyed a thatched barn that stood in the exact same spot as the barn burned in 1812. Even though many people were there, they couldn't put out the flames. The fire also threatened the nearby house and the main mill building. These were all owned by John Rawlinson. The barn eventually fell down, destroying a lot of wheat and a machine used for threshing. The damage cost about £1,000, which was a lot of money back then. People were also worried because the Andover fire engine took almost an hour to arrive.

From Milling to Modern Use

Rooksbury Mill stopped grinding flour in the early 1900s. After that, the mill building was used for different things, even as a small theatre.

In 2002, the Test Valley Borough Council sold the building. This was shortly after a fire, caused by arson, had badly damaged it. The new owners, Anthony and Sarah de Sigley, worked hard to fix the mill in 2003. They rebuilt much of the original structure, bringing it back to life.

Images for kids

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  The mill after the fire in 2002

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  The mill after restoration in 2003