Barcombe Mills
Encyclopedia
Barcombe Mills is a small settlement and an area of countryside including a local nature reserve
near the village of Barcombe Cross
in East Sussex
, England
. It is located in the civil parish
of Barcombe
in the Lewes
District. It is an important area for its wildlife, natural beauty and water storage. The River Ouse
and Andrew's Stream, one of its tributaries and popular for fishing, flow through the area and Barcombe Reservoir is adjacent. The area includes a small hamlet
and some farms, including Barcombe House, and a water treatment works.
There were mills in the parish of Barcombe as far back as the 11th century. Thomas and Denise Erith are recorded as holding a corn mill
at the beginning of the sixteenth century. Although the original mills were destroyed by fire in 1939, several pillbox
es from the Second World War, a beautiful large brick bridge and many weir
s remain.
The old road through the Mills features a former toll bridge which still displays its tolls in pre-decimalisation currency and a plaque mentioning that it was featured in the Domesday Book
commissioned by William I.
The local pub is the Anchor Inn, where canoe
s can be hired for trips down the Ouse. This public house, however, is situated about a kilometre to the north of the main hamlet and cannot be accessed directly by road from Barcombe Mills. It can be accessed along the disused trackbed of the railway or by walking over footpaths. It can also be reached by car by driving into the village of Barcombe Cross
and turning right; it is then signposted down the dead-end Anchor Lane. The pub's address is in Barcombe Mills but it is generally considered as an offshoot of Barcombe Cross or Spithurst.
The disused Barcombe Mills railway station
served the village until 1969.
Now just a collection of houses and a water treatment works, the area once had a thriving community. A pub called the Anglers' Rest (formerly known as the Railway Inn) closed in the 1990s. This was situated next to the former railway station. A restaurant was also present in the former railway station and this closed soon after the pub. Many more houses were also present at one time when the oil mills and the button factory still existed on the banks of the Ouse. The tributaries, weirs and millstreams cut to feed this are still obvious today - this is why the river takes such a bizarre course at Barcombe Mills. The hamlet is signposted from the village of Barcombe Cross but from nowhere else; there is also no sign to make it obvious that you are entering Barcombe Mills.
Since it has lost many of its services it has reduced to a quiet backwater consisting of houses, farms and the Bob Davis Scout Hut which is used by the 1st Barcombe Scout Group in the summer months.
's tidal limit and also on its flood plain. The fields and some of the houses around Barcombe Mills frequently flood severely, sometimes closing the road through it for a few days. Many houses were completely gutted in the floods of October 2000. The hamlet is famous for its flooding which has occurred since Roman
times.
is extremely popular with anglers for its carp, pike, trout and other species of popular fish. There are long stretches of river interspersed with many pools which make for high quality fishing. The Ouse Angling Preservation Society and Isfield Angling Club hold rights to the river with Isfield leasing out their stretch to the Lewes Angling Club also.
The river is also home to trout and migratory sea trout are seeing an increase. Andrew's Stream and the pool underneath the automatic sluice gates are popular with trout fisherman. Pike are also prevalent along with high quality carp and other species such as roach, rudd and foreign pumpkinseed and grass carp.
The vast Barcombe Reservoir used by Southern Water's water treatment works to extract water for drinking is also popular with fly fishermen fishing for trout. The fact that the water is extracted for drinking shows the clean quality of the Ouse's waters.
, mallard
, mute swan
, greylag goose
, rabbit
, barnacle goose
, Canada goose
, robin
, blue tit
, herring gull, sheep, cattle
and grey wagtail
. Most of the geese nest in the fenced off reservoir area. Rare freshwater mussels are also to be found in the quieter drains and streams that are in confluence with the Ouse.
which was on the former Lewes
-Uckfield
line. There is strong support for the re-opening of the line by the Wealden Line
Campaign. The campaign has featured much prominence at national level , however a study by Network Rail
considered the reopening technically but not economically feasible. However the group and local politicians are still campaigning.
The nearest open station is at Lewes
. The nearest port is Newhaven, East Sussex and the nearest airport is at Shoreham
. This airport sees mainly private planes and a few light flights to France
and the Channel Islands
. The nearest major airport is London's Gatwick Airport near Crawley
.
The settlement lies along Barcombe Mills Road which leads north into the village of Barcombe Cross
, giving access to the A275 and north to Newick
and south to the A26
.
The hamlet sees two buses a day into Lewes
(one in the morning, one in the afternoon) and two return journeys in the afternoon and the evening on the 125 service operated by Countryliner. The 125 only operates to Barcombe Mills on weekdays only.
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
near the village of Barcombe Cross
Barcombe Cross
Barcombe Cross is a village in East Sussex, England. It is within the civil parish of the nearby village of Barcombe, from which people were evacuated to Barcombe Cross during the Middle Ages, to escape the plague. The village has a small post office, a shop, a pub, an electrician's shop, a fancy...
in East Sussex
East Sussex
East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.-History:...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is located in the civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
of Barcombe
Barcombe
Barcombe is an East Sussex village lying some 4–5 miles north of Lewes. It is also the name of one of the civil parishes in the Lewes District of East Sussex...
in the Lewes
Lewes (district)
Lewes is a local government district in East Sussex in southern England covering an area of , with of coastline. It is named after its administrative centre, Lewes. Other towns in the district include Newhaven, Peacehaven, and Seaford. Plumpton racecourse is within the district...
District. It is an important area for its wildlife, natural beauty and water storage. The River Ouse
River Ouse, Sussex
The River Ouse is a river in the counties of West and East Sussex in England.-Course:The river rises near Lower Beeding and runs eastwards into East Sussex, meandering narrowly and turning slowly southward...
and Andrew's Stream, one of its tributaries and popular for fishing, flow through the area and Barcombe Reservoir is adjacent. The area includes a small hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
and some farms, including Barcombe House, and a water treatment works.
There were mills in the parish of Barcombe as far back as the 11th century. Thomas and Denise Erith are recorded as holding a corn mill
Gristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
at the beginning of the sixteenth century. Although the original mills were destroyed by fire in 1939, several pillbox
British hardened field defences of World War II
British hardened field defences of World War II were small fortified structures constructed as a part of British anti-invasion preparations. They were popularly known as pillboxes by reference to their shape.-Design and development:...
es from the Second World War, a beautiful large brick bridge and many weir
Weir
A weir is a small overflow dam used to alter the flow characteristics of a river or stream. In most cases weirs take the form of a barrier across the river that causes water to pool behind the structure , but allows water to flow over the top...
s remain.
The old road through the Mills features a former toll bridge which still displays its tolls in pre-decimalisation currency and a plaque mentioning that it was featured in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
commissioned by William I.
The local pub is the Anchor Inn, where canoe
Canoe
A canoe or Canadian canoe is a small narrow boat, typically human-powered, though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors. Canoes are usually pointed at both bow and stern and are normally open on top, but can be decked over A canoe (North American English) or Canadian...
s can be hired for trips down the Ouse. This public house, however, is situated about a kilometre to the north of the main hamlet and cannot be accessed directly by road from Barcombe Mills. It can be accessed along the disused trackbed of the railway or by walking over footpaths. It can also be reached by car by driving into the village of Barcombe Cross
Barcombe Cross
Barcombe Cross is a village in East Sussex, England. It is within the civil parish of the nearby village of Barcombe, from which people were evacuated to Barcombe Cross during the Middle Ages, to escape the plague. The village has a small post office, a shop, a pub, an electrician's shop, a fancy...
and turning right; it is then signposted down the dead-end Anchor Lane. The pub's address is in Barcombe Mills but it is generally considered as an offshoot of Barcombe Cross or Spithurst.
The disused Barcombe Mills railway station
Barcombe Mills railway station
Barcombe Mills is a disused railway station in the hamlet of Barcombe Mills, on the closed section of the Wealden Line. The station was opened in 1858 and closed in 1969.- History :...
served the village until 1969.
Now just a collection of houses and a water treatment works, the area once had a thriving community. A pub called the Anglers' Rest (formerly known as the Railway Inn) closed in the 1990s. This was situated next to the former railway station. A restaurant was also present in the former railway station and this closed soon after the pub. Many more houses were also present at one time when the oil mills and the button factory still existed on the banks of the Ouse. The tributaries, weirs and millstreams cut to feed this are still obvious today - this is why the river takes such a bizarre course at Barcombe Mills. The hamlet is signposted from the village of Barcombe Cross but from nowhere else; there is also no sign to make it obvious that you are entering Barcombe Mills.
Since it has lost many of its services it has reduced to a quiet backwater consisting of houses, farms and the Bob Davis Scout Hut which is used by the 1st Barcombe Scout Group in the summer months.
Flooding
Barcombe Mills is at the River OuseRiver Ouse, Sussex
The River Ouse is a river in the counties of West and East Sussex in England.-Course:The river rises near Lower Beeding and runs eastwards into East Sussex, meandering narrowly and turning slowly southward...
's tidal limit and also on its flood plain. The fields and some of the houses around Barcombe Mills frequently flood severely, sometimes closing the road through it for a few days. Many houses were completely gutted in the floods of October 2000. The hamlet is famous for its flooding which has occurred since Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
times.
Tourism
The area is extremely popular with visitors in the summer who come to enjoy the beautiful riverside scenery on foot or by bicycle. There are numerous footpaths and a permissive bridleway along the disused trackbed of the railway to Anchor Lane. Many people enjoy walking, picnicking and swimming in the river in the summer months. Self-catering accommodation is available in the converted down waiting room of the former railway station.Fishing
The River OuseRiver Ouse, Sussex
The River Ouse is a river in the counties of West and East Sussex in England.-Course:The river rises near Lower Beeding and runs eastwards into East Sussex, meandering narrowly and turning slowly southward...
is extremely popular with anglers for its carp, pike, trout and other species of popular fish. There are long stretches of river interspersed with many pools which make for high quality fishing. The Ouse Angling Preservation Society and Isfield Angling Club hold rights to the river with Isfield leasing out their stretch to the Lewes Angling Club also.
The river is also home to trout and migratory sea trout are seeing an increase. Andrew's Stream and the pool underneath the automatic sluice gates are popular with trout fisherman. Pike are also prevalent along with high quality carp and other species such as roach, rudd and foreign pumpkinseed and grass carp.
The vast Barcombe Reservoir used by Southern Water's water treatment works to extract water for drinking is also popular with fly fishermen fishing for trout. The fact that the water is extracted for drinking shows the clean quality of the Ouse's waters.
Local wildlife
Local bird and mammal species include: moorhenMoorhen
Moorhens, sometimes called marsh hens, are medium-sized water birds that are members of the rail family Rallidae. They constitute the genus Gallinula....
, mallard
Mallard
The Mallard , or Wild Duck , is a dabbling duck which breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, and has been introduced to New Zealand and Australia....
, mute swan
Mute Swan
The Mute Swan is a species of swan, and thus a member of the duck, goose and swan family Anatidae. It is native to much of Europe and Asia, and the far north of Africa. It is also an introduced species in North America, Australasia and southern Africa. The name 'mute' derives from it being less...
, greylag goose
Greylag Goose
The Greylag Goose , Anser anser, is a bird with a wide range in the Old World. It is the type species of the genus Anser....
, rabbit
European Rabbit
The European Rabbit or Common Rabbit is a species of rabbit native to south west Europe and north west Africa . It has been widely introduced elsewhere often with devastating effects on local biodiversity...
, barnacle goose
Barnacle Goose
The Barnacle Goose belongs to the genus Branta of black geese, which contains species with largely black plumage, distinguishing them from the grey Anser species...
, Canada goose
Canada Goose
The Canada Goose is a wild goose belonging to the genus Branta, which is native to arctic and temperate regions of North America, having a black head and neck, white patches on the face, and a brownish-gray body....
, robin
European Robin
The European Robin , most commonly known in Anglophone Europe simply as the Robin, is a small insectivorous passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family , but is now considered to be an Old World flycatcher...
, blue tit
Blue Tit
The Blue Tit is a 10.5 to 12 cm long passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is a widespread and common resident breeder throughout temperate and subarctic Europe and western Asia in deciduous or mixed woodlands...
, herring gull, sheep, cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
and grey wagtail
Grey Wagtail
The Grey Wagtail is a small member of the wagtail family, Motacillidae. The species looks similar to the Yellow Wagtail but has the yellow on its underside restricted to the throat and vent. Breeding males have a black throat...
. Most of the geese nest in the fenced off reservoir area. Rare freshwater mussels are also to be found in the quieter drains and streams that are in confluence with the Ouse.
Transport
The hamlet features the disused Barcombe Mills railway stationBarcombe Mills railway station
Barcombe Mills is a disused railway station in the hamlet of Barcombe Mills, on the closed section of the Wealden Line. The station was opened in 1858 and closed in 1969.- History :...
which was on the former Lewes
Lewes
Lewes is the county town of East Sussex, England and historically of all of Sussex. It is a civil parish and is the centre of the Lewes local government district. The settlement has a history as a bridging point and as a market town, and today as a communications hub and tourist-oriented town...
-Uckfield
Uckfield
-Development:The local Tesco has proposed the redevelopment of the central town area as has the town council. The Hub has recently been completed, having been acquired for an unknown figure, presumed to be about half a million pounds...
line. There is strong support for the re-opening of the line by the Wealden Line
Wealden Line
Taking its name from its route through the chalk hills of the North and South Downs of the Weald, England, the Wealden Line is a partly abandoned double track railway line in East Sussex and Kent that connected Lewes with Tunbridge Wells, a distance of ....
Campaign. The campaign has featured much prominence at national level , however a study by Network Rail
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
considered the reopening technically but not economically feasible. However the group and local politicians are still campaigning.
The nearest open station is at Lewes
Lewes railway station
Lewes railway station serves the town of Lewes in East Sussex, England. It has five platforms and is on the East Coastway Line. Train services are provided by Southern.The station has a café and a newsagent, and there is a taxi office on the main forecourt...
. The nearest port is Newhaven, East Sussex and the nearest airport is at Shoreham
Shoreham Airport
- Sussex Police Air Operations Unit :The Sussex Police Air Operations Unit is headquartered at Shoreham Airport. The unit has been equipped since February 2000 with a MD Explorer, registered as "G-SUSX". The unit is headed by a Police Inspector, assisted by a Police Sergeant and two Police...
. This airport sees mainly private planes and a few light flights to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and the Channel Islands
Channel Islands
The Channel Islands are an archipelago of British Crown Dependencies in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two separate bailiwicks: the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Bailiwick of Jersey...
. The nearest major airport is London's Gatwick Airport near Crawley
Crawley
Crawley is a town and local government district with Borough status in West Sussex, England. It is south of Charing Cross, north of Brighton and Hove, and northeast of the county town of Chichester, covers an area of and had a population of 99,744 at the time of the 2001 Census.The area has...
.
The settlement lies along Barcombe Mills Road which leads north into the village of Barcombe Cross
Barcombe Cross
Barcombe Cross is a village in East Sussex, England. It is within the civil parish of the nearby village of Barcombe, from which people were evacuated to Barcombe Cross during the Middle Ages, to escape the plague. The village has a small post office, a shop, a pub, an electrician's shop, a fancy...
, giving access to the A275 and north to Newick
Newick
Newick is a village and civil parish in the Lewes District of East Sussex, England. It is located on the A272 road six miles east of Haywards Heath....
and south to the A26
A26 road
For the road in Northern Ireland see A26 road The A26 road is one of the three cross-country two-digit numbered roads in the southeast of England, the others being the A25 road and A27 road. It carries traffic from Maidstone in Kent in a generally south-westerly direction to Tunbridge Wells and...
.
The hamlet sees two buses a day into Lewes
Lewes
Lewes is the county town of East Sussex, England and historically of all of Sussex. It is a civil parish and is the centre of the Lewes local government district. The settlement has a history as a bridging point and as a market town, and today as a communications hub and tourist-oriented town...
(one in the morning, one in the afternoon) and two return journeys in the afternoon and the evening on the 125 service operated by Countryliner. The 125 only operates to Barcombe Mills on weekdays only.