PLYMOUTH |
The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History |
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The first of the flour mills constructed within the Borough boundary by Sir Francis Drake was known as Drake's Mill. It later became known as Drake's Place Mill. Plymouth Corporation constructed the Drake's Place Reservoir just above the site in 1825. Drake's Mill was powered by the waters of the Plymouth Leat, which Drake had constructed a couple of years before. The Mill was constructed in 1590-91 under the terms of his 67-years lease from Plymouth Corporation. It looks like the Mill gave up the grinding of corn at some time because from 1755 until 1795 Drake's Mill was owned by Mr William Shepherd and used for the production of chamois leather. He paid a rent to the Corporation for the use of the water from the leat. In 1809 the occupant was a Mr John Allen, who suggested that the Mill be used for grinding bark for tanning, making paper, tobacco and snuff, blockmaking, spinning, working stone and marble and grinding colours but this idea was declined by the Corporation. Instead, the Mill was leased in 1811 to a Mr Peter Welsford, a sail cloth manufacturer, on condition he demolished the old mill and used the materials to erect a new mill and some additional dwelling houses. It appears that by 1851 the Mill was once again grinding corn because the 1851 census shows Mr George Frean, corn merchant, as living at No. 3 Drake's Place with his family that included 20-years-old John Frean, miller. Next door lived the 22-years old miller, William Blatchford and at No. 1 Drake's Place was 50-years-old George K Chapple, also a miller. In a survey of the mills drawing power from the Leat in 1854, Drake's Place Mill was being leased by George Frean for a period of 21 years from Ladyday 1838. He had use of the entire leat for twelve hours a day, subject to the Corporation reserving one eighth if required. Messrs Frean and Dawe also operated the Marsh Mills at Plympton St Mary. By 1867 the partnership was between Mr Dawe and Mr Serpell. At that time there was also a bone crushing mill near by, for making glue. Drake's Mill ceased operating in about 1873 and both it and the bone mill were demolished to make space for the gardens adjacent to the Drake's Place Reservoir. The next mill towards the centre of Plymouth was the Old Town Mill.
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