Picturesque watermill used in ‘The Witchfinder General’ and ‘Dad’s Army’ for sale
Witches and water don’t have an affinity – with dunking being a common form of punishment for suspects in the 16th and 17th centuries – and at The Watermill on the River Black Bourn at Ixworth in Suffolk, just such activity occurred in the 1968 film The Witchfinder General.
The Watermill, which is now for sale for £1 million ($1.3 million, €1.2 million or درهم4.6 milllion) through Savills, was also a location in the popular BBC series Dad’s Army and of this property, which until recently was used as a holiday rental, the corporation’s Martha Kearney once remarked: “I can’t think of a more enchanted summer evening than sitting outside the Mill, gazing across the water lilies on the pond to the beautiful island beyond”.
A working mill from 1800 until 1946, the 5,848 square foot, three floor building comes with detailed restrictions about how it could be altered given it is Grade II* listed but currently provides 3 reception rooms, 5 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.
Previously rented from £1,450 to £3,000 per week depending on season, The Watermill is situated on a three acre plot that includes a picturesque lily-covered mill pond with island and mill race. An outbuilding has lapsed planning permission for conversion into ancillary accommodation whilst the former mill itself retains much of its original machinery.
Looks dangerous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Knock it down!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A hazard to children all that water and machinery!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It is beautiful and picturesque and seems very good value at a million. Lovely setting and perfectly nicely decorated. The income from the holiday cottage rental would be good to. Based on 40 weeks at an average of £2000 pw you could get £80k and still have 12 weeks use for yourself.
A truly remarkable mill with an upper bin floor, 3 stones, and the machine room. This is well worth restoring and putting back to working order. I love it.
“A disused watermill and mill house. C18. 3 storeys and attic. Timber-framed
and weatherboarded, with lucam on the east end. Slate roof. Small-paned sash
windows in flush frames. Internal cast iron breast shot water-wheel. 3 pairs
of underdriven stones. Machinery complete; apart from east iron stone nuts, all in wood. ‘I.Lowe – 1800’ carved in large letters on the timber supporting
the base of the upright shaft, dates the machinery. John Lowe was miller in
the late C18/ and early C19 (see parish records in Record Office, Bury St.
Edmunds).”
By the way, if I can Matthew. Could I publish a link? http://www.nationalmillsweekend.co.uk/index.htm
Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th May 2017
It is a fantastic weekend out and many are open for free or for donations . If you don’t know what a “chattering damsel” is you can find out. As little as a pint of water is sufficient to start a maintained and balanced wheel rotating.