The Lamb and former Water Mill
46 & 44 Newbury Street
In 1851 William Painter, from Wanborough, was living and working as a Miller at the Mill (No 44) it was known as Tadpole Mill.
The Mill is the flint building to the left of the Lamb (see photos) and was built with lime and putty which is a 1700 building material. William was still living at here in 1861 and at this time was a farmer with 65acres.
The Lamb, is believed to have been originally 2/3 cottages and were built and attached to the Mill by William Painter. A carved stone which bears the initials WP and dated 1847 is on the side of the Lamb.
‘Tadpole Mill’ referred to in contemporary deeds, appears in the enclosure map of 1806 and the ordnance survey maps of 1879, 1899 and 1912 show a mill ‘leat’ (A ‘leat’ is the name, common in the South and West of England and Wales for a watercourse dug into the ground to supply water to a water mill) running directly underneath No 44, the Water Mill to rejoin the Lambourn River on the other side of the road. The water arch is still visible.
English Heritage state “Early maps show what is now the Lamb Inn as two or three distinct properties, suggesting that the public house ( which first appears as such on the 1936 map) was formed by amalgamating a series of smaller dwellings)
The amalgamation is not disputed but it is a fact that the 1871 Census states ‘The Lamb, beer house’ occupied by Caleb Cox (b Lambourn Woodlands) his wife Sarah Jane and their daughter Mary Elizabeth age 1, which is certainly before its appearance on the 1936 map.
Although not the most opulent building, it is, never the less, part of Lambourn’s past and deserves to be saved from its possible demise.
Parts of the original grinding stone still exist but the mill building needs to be dated, so although the listing status has been refused the research continues. If anyone can offer any further information, we would love to hear from you.
Liz Beard 2010
