32. The Corn Mill

From Norman times and earlier the Lord of the Manor almost invariably had a monopoly on the corn mill. All the people of the village were compelled to have their corn ground at this mill. In many places heavy penalties were imposed on peasants who used corn mills of their own.

The Sutton Corn Mill was built at the extreme east of the Manor. Its position was such that full advantage was taken of the two streams which flow through the township. Sutton Beck and Holme Beck beet about 100yds above the place where a barrier was put across the stream to turn the water down a long millrace to where the mill had been erected.

The place name "Corn Mill Houses" gives us today the position of the mill. A large circular stone which has evidently been used as a corn grinder is near these houses.

The first mention of a mill at Sutton, in any document, is in the year 1543. In this year Nicholas Johnson, "Milner Sutton-under-Soun" came into prominence for his share in the attack on Hugh Blakey. There would of course, have been a mill much earlier than this, but documentary evidence is lacking.

From a deed dated April 6th 1619 we find that Alvery Copley, of Batley, who was then Lord of the Manor of Sutton, sold to Robert Smith yeoman of Sutton, and his two sons, Alvery and John "all that Water Corn Mill commonly called Sutton Mill". "Also a piece of land on the south and south east of the mill set out there for a Wynnowhill." Evidently a place where corn was winnowed. The usual medieval grant of "Soken Suit and Service to the said mill of all the Freeholders and Tenants of and in Sutton". That is, all the corn grown in the township is to be ground at the mill. Alvery Copley also promised that in future when any of his Glusburn and Eastburn property was sold he "shall and will tie and bind every such person to do suit and service to and at the said Water Corn Mill". The new owners had to promise to perform Suit and Service at the Court Baron in Sutton. Evidently some nominal homage had to be given. All records of this Court Baron are lost.

The new owners were also given full liberty to dig for peat, and to get stones for mill stones "upon and throughout all the commons, moors and wastes of Sutton".

There are no further records of the mill until 1721. When Roger Coates of Royd House, Glusburn purchased several closes of land in Sutton. These were all in the neighbourhood of Sutton Corn Mill, the tenant of these closes was John Smith, perhaps a descendant of the family who purchased the mill from Alvery Copley in 1621. The Miller at this time was not of the Smith family, his name was Robert Batty.

In 1772 Sarah Foulds of Trawden, Lancashire inherited the mill from Roger Coates. She sold it to William Spencer merchant of Sildsen. There is another deed dated 1797, several Sutton men agree to sell to David McCrobin, of Royds House, Howarth (sic), cotton spinner, "two cottages with one Helm or shed near thereto, near the mill there and now in the occupation of Thos Bottomley and Benj. Hird". Evidently these two men had bought the mill since 1772 from William Spencer. There is no record of this transaction.

David McRobin sold the mill to John Bairstow on Oct 6th 1809. The Bairstow family continued the Corn Milling business until 1838 when the grinding of corn gave way to the rising industry of spinning and weaving wool.