Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

No. 24 High Street is on the site of the King's Mill, a watermill situated on the east side of the River Stour next to King's Bridge. The mill, probably a rectangular building, was granted by King Stephen to St. Augustine's Abbey in 1144, and belonged to the citzens of the city at least until c. 1800.

Monument Types

• MILL (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1144 AD? to 1800 AD?)

Full description

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No. 24 High Street is on the site of the King's Mill, a watermill situated on the east side of the River Stour next to King's Bridge. The mill, probably a rectangular building, was granted by King Stephen to St. Augustine's Abbey in 1144, it remained with the abbey until Abbot Clarenbold alienated it to the Crown during the reign of Henry II to the use of his city. Henry II subsequently granted the mill to Rohesia, sister of St. Thomas Becket in 1174. Sometime later during the reign of Henry III the city was granted to the citizens in fee farm, and Kings Mill was as a parcel expressly included in the grant together with the borough. In 1366 a law suit brought against the miller by the Parson of All Saint's Church questioned the miller whether he be the farmer of this mill, to which he replied no but confessed that he was a servant of the Mayor's of the City of Canterbury, and confessed that he thought that all the bakers of the Town ought to grind all sorts of grain for White-bread toll-free. By the seventeenth century the City's bakers were not obliged to have their grain milled at King's Mill, nor could they have their grain milled toll-free, as then, for white bread. In c. 1462 William Bennett, Alderman and citizen of the City of Canterbury, in his will, appoints his executors to buy 300 feet of Ashlar or Folkestone stone to make a wharf about the King's Mill. The mill belonged to the citzens of the city at least until c. 1800.

Traces of masonry at the base of the river front elevation of No. 24 High Street, could be the remains of the original watermill.

Somner, W., 1640, The Antiquities of Canterbury (Monograph). SKE30127.

Hasted, E, 1799, The History of the Ancient and Metropolitical City of Canterbury. Vol 1. Canterbury (Article in monograph). SKE29735.

RCHM & Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 1990, Roman and Medieval Canterbury, Ordnance Survey Historial map & Guide (Cartographic materials). SKE30269.

Sources and further reading