Berry Mill at Hinton Marsh Farm, Bourton

What we know of this mill comes mainly from the Victoria County History. It is located just to the south of Hinton Marsh Farm and historically was included within the parish of Hinton Parva. The earliest documentary evidence that clearly identifies the mill is from a Court Roll of 1419. During the 16th & 17th centuries it was operated by the Berry family and there survives in the documents of the Court of Common Pleas held at Westminster a case in particular that involved a member of the Berry family. The papers are dated 17th June, 1729 and detail that Robert Berry, Miller, with the permission of the mill owner, William Brind, Jnr; Fishmonger of London, diverted the ancient water course from it's site between the estates of Richard Waring of Dennington, Berks, and Mary Stratton of Marlborough called Earlscourt, and in the possession of William Hayward and William Brind, the elder, Painter of London. The result was that Robert Berry was to compensate William Hayward with 5 shillings. But the case highlighted the fact that the water courses had been tampered with and this continued in more recent years whereby the original course of the stream that fed the mill has been piped under ground. This can be seen by the attached photos and the diagram of the mill.

In the 18th and early 19th centuries the mill was associated with the Lea family. In 1845 John Tucker became the Copyholder before it passed into the hands of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners in 1879. It is not known as yet when the mill ceased to be used and was abandoned.

Our thanks to Rebecca at Hinton Marsh Farm for allowing us access.