TREASURE DESCRIPTION: Sitting astride the River Wandle this large, two storey, 18th Century mill refuses to be intimidated by its surroundings.
Last commercially occupied by Whiteleys a sports goods manufacturer who left in about 1980, a mill is believed to have been occupying this site since around 1680. The present 18th Century building, which housed two wheels, was originally used for the production of snuff from around 1755 and, as that became less popular, for tobacco as well. It was used by the owners to produce the famous Mitcham shag tobacco which was awarded a gold medal at a Brewers exhibition held in 1906. For a period between 1868 and 1884 it was said the mills had also been used to produce flock, recycling wool and old clothes for stuffing mattresses and flock paper. During the Second World War it was used to generate electricity and occasionally powered wood turning machinery in the 1960’s. It was reputedly the last working mill on the Wandle.
These treasures were made as part of The Building Exploratory, Wandle Treasures project. This project was part of the wider Living Wandle Landscape Partnership Scheme, funded by the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund.
