In February and March, the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority (LVRPA) carried out the first phase of the latest project to conserve the remains of the Mill and ensure ‘that it continues to stand as a window into a bygone age.  The plan of work to be done was set out on a display board on site.  I was lucky enough to be given a tour of the project before its completion last month, by Amy Lewis of the LVRPA.

Brick wall before restoration

In mid-February two temporary dams were put in place and the water pumped out to allow a survey of the Old Mill structure.  Although not in a bad condition, a number of problems were spotted, particularly in the brickwork.

A large amount of debris had accumulated over the years which had to be removed from the two tunnels.  This included a glass R. Whites Lemonade bottle dating back to the 1920s found in the mud.  In fact quite a lot of old-fashioned glass bottles were found.  They were stored in the works compound and were eventually to be given to the museum.  However, this was not to be as the whole lot were stolen one night.

Tunnel prior to clearing of debris and restoration

Also found which caused somewhat of a stir, was a human leg bone (tibia) from a woman.  Initially it was thought this might be a crime scene.  However, thankfully, after a few days of uncertainty, Herts police forensic investigation concluded that the bone was around 200 years old and had probably been washed downstream, possibly from a graveyard nearby.  At the time of my visit, further forensic tests were due to be carried out on the bone for more refined data.

Amy and I walked through both tunnels where normally water would be rushing through very fast.  The debris had been cleared and one tunnel housed the paddles of the wheel which had been temporarily removed during restoration.  Specialist brickwork contractors were brought in to sensitively restore the ageing bricks in key areas.  During the course of their works they discovered a brick above one of the tunnels ‘George M Webster August 1864’.  This was probably the person who originally built the wall. The aforementioned statement was on the display board at the time I visited the mill restoration works.  A subsequent display board now on view informs the visitor that George M Webster was the Miller who owned the Mill at the time and who had the wall built.”

During this restoration the lead brickwork specialist, A Finley, was invited to engrave one of the bricks he was conserving with his name and the date.

Another specialist, Mill Green Forge, returned (after previously carrying out wheel restoration in 2001), to undertake further repairs to the wheel and sluice gates inside the wheelhouse. Two cracks were found on the cast iron wheel frame which will be reinforced and the old very rotten oak sluice gates  to be replaced.

This stage of the project is now complete and the dams removed.  However, further restoration work is needed in the future including removal of vegetation growing out of the brickwork lining the riverbank near the wheel, and cutting down overgrown hedging nearby.

Article by Diana Weston

Mill wheel with paddles removed

Section of mill wheel where the crack is located

Tunnel cleared of debris and brickwork cleaned and restored

Finished wall after several stages of restoration including replacement of bricks and a lime and soot wash