| At
the time of the Domesday Book (1086) Winscombe belonged to Glastonbury
Abbey. Maxmills with its long leat, pond and elaborate water-works
looks like a Glastonbury Abbey scheme and, therefore, probably 12th
century. In 1239, ownership of the Manor of Winscombe passed to
the Dean and Chapter of Wells Cathedral.
In
1319 Max Mill appears, by name, for the first time as Mackesmulle
when William de Mackesmulle witnessed a Winscombe deed.
In another deed of the same date, Geoffrey de Molendino
[Geoffrey of the Mill] had the right to drive his cattle from
Makkesmull to Barton.
|
Detail
of the farm and mill at Max - 1792 |
Elizabeth
Counsell and family - early 20th c. |
At
some time, probably during the late Medieval period, ownership
of Maxmills passed out of the hands of the Dean and Chapter
of Wells Cathedral. The mill and farm at Max formed part of
larger estates with the lands being leased out to various tenants.
One of those tenants, Robert Langrish, who died in 1636, leased
the farm and mill from the Earl of Hertford and Robert and his
family lived in his Mansion House called Mackmills.
For
over two hundred years, from the late 17th century, the farm and
mill at Max was in the hands of the Smith family of Bristol until
sold to Elizabeth Counsell in 1921.
The
corn mill at Max was powered by an overshot water wheel and
was still in use until the early 20th century. Remains of the
former mill building and the waterfall (position of the internal
water wheel) can still be seen at the entrance to Maxmills Farm.
|
| All
the names of the cottages at Maxmills are historic. The former miller's
cottage is Maxmills Cottage which overlooks the mill pond;
Honeyacre Cottage was a stable which has been named after
a nearby field; Barrowmead Cottage was a former cart house
which overlooks Barrowmead Wood; and Challey's Cottage, previously
a barn, is adjacent to the former Challey's Lane. The stone barns
were converted to cottages in 2001.
Maxmills
is still a working farm as it has been for at least the last 700
years.
|
The
millpond at Maxmills - early 20th c.
|
