Three Mills
Encyclopedia
The Three Mills are former working mills on the River Lea in the East End of London
, one of London
’s oldest extant industrial centres. The largest and most powerful of the four remaining tidal mills
is possibly the largest tidal mill in the world. It is mainly accessed by a bridge over the Limehouse Cut
and River Lea.
The River Lea Tidal Mill Trust Ltd owns the House Mill
and the Miller's House buildings, which are used for educational projects and as conference spaces. The Lower Lea Project is also based at Three Mills in The Miller's House. The Prescott Channel
, a former flood relief channel, to the east, creates Three Mills Island, and the mills share this with the Three Mills Studios, a 20 acre (81,000 m²) film studio, which makes a large number of major films and television programmes.
(though this number may refer to the number of pairs of millstones rather than buildings). These would therefore have been the earliest recorded examples of a tidal mill
system.
Stratford Langthorne Abbey
, founded in 1135, acquired the three mills some time in the 12th or 13th centuries, and the area became known as Three Mills. By the time Henry VIII
dissolved the abbey in the 1530s, the mills were grinding flour for the bakers of Stratford-atte-Bow, who were celebrated for the quality of their bread and who supplied the huge City of London
market. In 1588, one of the mills was described as a "gunpowder mill". During the 16th century the three mills were reduced to two (which today are the House Mill and the Clock Mill). In the 17th century the mills were used to grind grain, which was then used to distil alcohol; the mills became a major supplier to the alcohol trade and gin palace
s of London.
The House Mill was built in 1776 (and after a fire destroyed it, quickly rebuilt) by Daniel Bisson. It is a grade I listed building. The Clock Mill was rebuilt by Philip Metcalfe
between 1815 and 1817 incorporating the old clock, and an older bell. There was also a windmill
which survived until about 1840. The House Mill continued to operate until 1940 and the Clock Mill until 1952.
In 1878 there were seven waterwheels at Three Mills. Most of them were around 20 ft in diameter and 3 ft in width, but one was 8 ft in width. There were four in the House Mill and three in the Clock Mill. They drove fourteen pairs of millstones and produced a total of 150 HP (112KW). The average output of the House Mill was about 2 tons of maize and 5 tons of barley per tide rising to 10 and 14 tons respectively on spring tides. The average weekly throughput of the two mills was 125 tons per week.
Ownership changed relatively frequently during the 17th to the late 19th centuries, until 1872 when it was purchased by gin
distillers J&W Nicholson & Co
of Clerkenwell
. Initially producing Lamplighter Gin on site, the company eventually moved production of all of their brands to the site. Distilling ceased in 1941 during the rationing shortages of World War II
. In the Nicholson family, headed by Sir Richard Nicholson, sold the business to the Distillers Company. Three Mills sustained severe air-raid damage during the Second World War. The Miller's House was destroyed in 1941 and rebuilt in 1995 with a modern interior and rear part, but retaining the original facade
. Three Mills was used for bottling and warehousing by Bass Charrington
and Hedges & Butler.
The House Mill remains the largest tidal mill in the world, although the water wheels are not in operation. The building is owned by The River Lea Tidal Mill Trust Ltd and is open to visitors on Sunday afternoons during the summer. It is one of only four grade I listed buildings in the London Borough of Newham
.
The creation of the Three Mills Lock
on the Prescott Channel
and the Three Mills Wall River Weir
, for the 2012 Summer Olympics
construction work, has created a head of water behind the mill. This may mean that it can be operated again, but it has removed altogether the tidal benefits of the site.
and television
production with the establishment in the 1980s of Bow Studios, Three Mills Island Studios and Edwin Shirley Productions. In the mid 1990s the three studios merged to become 3 Mills Studios under the management of Workspace Group
.
In August 2004, the London Development Agency
acquired 3 Mills Studios. As parent organisation of the Creative London agency, the LDA's role included supporting business and skills, researching industry needs, and promoting London for film-making. The site is now London's largest film studio.
Ownership transferred to the Olympic Park Legacy Company in 2010. The Legacy Company is the organisation responsible for the planning, developing and managing the Olympic Park
after the London 2012 Games.
and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
. Television shows include Bad Girls
.
East End of London
The East End of London, also known simply as the East End, is the area of London, England, United Kingdom, east of the medieval walled City of London and north of the River Thames. Although not defined by universally accepted formal boundaries, the River Lea can be considered another boundary...
, one of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
’s oldest extant industrial centres. The largest and most powerful of the four remaining tidal mills
Tide mill
A tide mill is a water mill driven by tidal rise and fall. A dam with a sluice is created across a suitable tidal inlet, or a section of river estuary is made into a reservoir. As the tide comes in, it enters the mill pond through a one way gate, and this gate closes automatically when the tide...
is possibly the largest tidal mill in the world. It is mainly accessed by a bridge over the Limehouse Cut
Limehouse Cut
The Limehouse Cut is a straight, broad canal in the East End of London, which linked the lower reaches of the River Lee Navigation to the River Thames...
and River Lea.
The River Lea Tidal Mill Trust Ltd owns the House Mill
House Mill
The House Mill is a major Grade I listed building on the River Lea in Bromley by Bow, London. Although the Three Mills date back to the Domesday book, the present house mill was rebuilt in 1776 by Daniel Bisson. It was damaged by fire in 1802, and then rebuilt by Philip Metcalfe.It is one of only...
and the Miller's House buildings, which are used for educational projects and as conference spaces. The Lower Lea Project is also based at Three Mills in The Miller's House. The Prescott Channel
Prescott Channel
The Prescott Channel was built in 1930–35 as part of a flood relief scheme for the River Lee Navigation in the East End of London, and was named after Sir William Prescott, the then chairman of the Lee Conservancy Board...
, a former flood relief channel, to the east, creates Three Mills Island, and the mills share this with the Three Mills Studios, a 20 acre (81,000 m²) film studio, which makes a large number of major films and television programmes.
History
It is thought that there were eight or possibly nine mills on the River Lea in Stratford at the time of the Domesday BookDomesday 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...
(though this number may refer to the number of pairs of millstones rather than buildings). These would therefore have been the earliest recorded examples of a tidal mill
Tide mill
A tide mill is a water mill driven by tidal rise and fall. A dam with a sluice is created across a suitable tidal inlet, or a section of river estuary is made into a reservoir. As the tide comes in, it enters the mill pond through a one way gate, and this gate closes automatically when the tide...
system.
Stratford Langthorne Abbey
Stratford Langthorne Abbey
Stratford Langthorne Abbey, or the Abbey of St Mary's, Stratford Langthorne was a Cistercian monastery founded in 1135 at Stratford Langthorne — then Essex but now Stratford in the London Borough of Newham...
, founded in 1135, acquired the three mills some time in the 12th or 13th centuries, and the area became known as Three Mills. By the time Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
dissolved the abbey in the 1530s, the mills were grinding flour for the bakers of Stratford-atte-Bow, who were celebrated for the quality of their bread and who supplied the huge City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
market. In 1588, one of the mills was described as a "gunpowder mill". During the 16th century the three mills were reduced to two (which today are the House Mill and the Clock Mill). In the 17th century the mills were used to grind grain, which was then used to distil alcohol; the mills became a major supplier to the alcohol trade and gin palace
Gin palace
A gin palace is an English name originally for a lavish bar selling gin, later transferred by association to late Victorian pubs designed in a similar style....
s of London.
The House Mill was built in 1776 (and after a fire destroyed it, quickly rebuilt) by Daniel Bisson. It is a grade I listed building. The Clock Mill was rebuilt by Philip Metcalfe
Philip Metcalfe
Philip Metcalfe was a distiller in London, UK and member of Parliament from Horsham from 1784. He representedPlympton Erle, Devon from 1790 to 1796 and Malmesbury Wiltshire from 1796....
between 1815 and 1817 incorporating the old clock, and an older bell. There was also a windmill
Windmill
A windmill is a machine which converts the energy of wind into rotational energy by means of vanes called sails or blades. Originally windmills were developed for milling grain for food production. In the course of history the windmill was adapted to many other industrial uses. An important...
which survived until about 1840. The House Mill continued to operate until 1940 and the Clock Mill until 1952.
In 1878 there were seven waterwheels at Three Mills. Most of them were around 20 ft in diameter and 3 ft in width, but one was 8 ft in width. There were four in the House Mill and three in the Clock Mill. They drove fourteen pairs of millstones and produced a total of 150 HP (112KW). The average output of the House Mill was about 2 tons of maize and 5 tons of barley per tide rising to 10 and 14 tons respectively on spring tides. The average weekly throughput of the two mills was 125 tons per week.
Ownership changed relatively frequently during the 17th to the late 19th centuries, until 1872 when it was purchased by gin
Gin
Gin is a spirit which derives its predominant flavour from juniper berries . Although several different styles of gin have existed since its origins, it is broadly differentiated into two basic legal categories...
distillers J&W Nicholson & Co
J&W Nicholson & Co
J&W Nicholson & Co was a London-based gin maker. Founded in 1730s during the Gin Craze, the company stopped making gin in England 1941, and closed its premises Three Mills in 1966....
of Clerkenwell
Clerkenwell
Clerkenwell is an area of central London in the London Borough of Islington. From 1900 to 1965 it was part of the Metropolitan Borough of Finsbury. The well after which it was named was rediscovered in 1924. The watchmaking and watch repairing trades were once of great importance...
. Initially producing Lamplighter Gin on site, the company eventually moved production of all of their brands to the site. Distilling ceased in 1941 during the rationing shortages of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In the Nicholson family, headed by Sir Richard Nicholson, sold the business to the Distillers Company. Three Mills sustained severe air-raid damage during the Second World War. The Miller's House was destroyed in 1941 and rebuilt in 1995 with a modern interior and rear part, but retaining the original facade
Facade
A facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
. Three Mills was used for bottling and warehousing by Bass Charrington
Charringtons
Charrington United Breweries Ltd was an English brewery company founded in 1738 which merged with Bass in 1967.-History:Robert Westfield, a member of the Brewers' Company from 1738, owned a brewery in Bethnal Green, London, prior to 1757, when he took Joseph Moss into partnership and moved to new...
and Hedges & Butler.
The House Mill remains the largest tidal mill in the world, although the water wheels are not in operation. The building is owned by The River Lea Tidal Mill Trust Ltd and is open to visitors on Sunday afternoons during the summer. It is one of only four grade I listed buildings in the London Borough of Newham
London Borough of Newham
The London Borough of Newham is a London borough formed from the towns of West Ham and East Ham, within East London.It is situated east of the City of London, and is north of the River Thames. According to 2006 estimates, Newham has one of the highest ethnic minority populations of all the...
.
The creation of the Three Mills Lock
Three Mills Lock
Three Mills Lock, also known as the Prescott Lock is a lock on the Prescott Channel on the River Lea in London. The project was led by British Waterways and the lock officially opened on 5 June 2009....
on the Prescott Channel
Prescott Channel
The Prescott Channel was built in 1930–35 as part of a flood relief scheme for the River Lee Navigation in the East End of London, and was named after Sir William Prescott, the then chairman of the Lee Conservancy Board...
and the Three Mills Wall River Weir
Three Mills Wall River Weir
Three Mills Wall River Weir is a weir on the River Lea, in the London Borough of Newham, near to Three Mills.The weir has been constructed across the Three Mills Wall River by British Waterways to control the levels in the Bow Back Rivers and make then navigable for barges during the Olympic Park,...
, for the 2012 Summer Olympics
2012 Summer Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the "London 2012 Olympic Games", are scheduled to take place in London, England, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012...
construction work, has created a head of water behind the mill. This may mean that it can be operated again, but it has removed altogether the tidal benefits of the site.
Three Mills Studios
The site became a dedicated centre for filmFilm
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
production with the establishment in the 1980s of Bow Studios, Three Mills Island Studios and Edwin Shirley Productions. In the mid 1990s the three studios merged to become 3 Mills Studios under the management of Workspace Group
Workspace Group
Workspace Group plc is a real estate investment trust based in London, England. Founded in 1987 by the privatisation of property assets of the former Greater London Council, the company lets office, industrial and workshop space to small and medium-sized enterprises...
.
In August 2004, the London Development Agency
London Development Agency
The London Development Agency is the Regional Development Agency for Greater London, England. It is a functional body of the Greater London Authority...
acquired 3 Mills Studios. As parent organisation of the Creative London agency, the LDA's role included supporting business and skills, researching industry needs, and promoting London for film-making. The site is now London's largest film studio.
Ownership transferred to the Olympic Park Legacy Company in 2010. The Legacy Company is the organisation responsible for the planning, developing and managing the Olympic Park
Olympic Park, London
The Olympic Park in London is a new sporting complex currently under construction, adjacent to the Stratford City development in Stratford, Bow, Leyton & Homerton in East London for the 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics....
after the London 2012 Games.
Studio facilities
- 14 stages (totalling 108000 square feet (10,034 m²))
- Located on a 20 acre (0.0809372 km²) site
- Prison exterior & cell set
- Period buildings (1700s–1980s)
- Over 200 production offices, 7 rehearsal rooms, make up & dressing rooms, propTheatrical propertyA theatrical property, commonly referred to as a prop, is an object used on stage by actors to further the plot or story line of a theatrical production. Smaller props are referred to as "hand props". Larger props may also be set decoration, such as a chair or table. The difference between a set...
stores and workshops - Media village, 64-seat screening room, restaurant & bar
- 24 hour security, excellent transport links, ample parking
Selected filmography
Films made at the Studios include 28 Days Later28 Days Later
28 Days Later is an acclaimed 2002 British horror film directed by Danny Boyle. The screenplay was written by Alex Garland, and the film stars Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, Brendan Gleeson, Megan Burns, and Christopher Eccleston...
and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels is a 1998 British crime film directed and written by Guy Ritchie. The story is a heist film involving a self-confident young card sharp who loses £500,000 to a powerful crime lord in a rigged game of three card brag...
. Television shows include Bad Girls
Bad Girls (TV series)
Bad Girls is an award-winning British television drama series that was broadcast on ITV from 1999 to 2006. It is produced by Shed Productions, the company which later produced Footballers' Wives and Waterloo Road...
.