A bit about the Old Mill

I found the information on the Old Mill on the internet. I will post a link to the author's site at the bottom of this post.

The Mill causeway was built in 1664 to seal off Thorley Haven which
had silted up. This would have formed a mill pond for the first
(wooden) mill, believed to have been built at this time.

The present Mill was built in 1793 by William Porter of Newport. He
was a colourful character, a self-made man who could neither read nor
write. Yarmouth Mill was his last venture as the Newport Bank, which
had financed him, took fright at the extent of his empire and withdrew
its support. Porter was ruined.

Steam power was introduced at a later date, certainly by 1845 (old map
of that year), to supplement the weaker tides. The remains of the old
brick chimney can be seen to this day at the north-east corner of the
building. In September 1875 Mr J. Blake, the miller, "entertained his
workers and their wives in his commodious steam mill".

An agreement dated 10 October 1899, held by the County Record Office,
Newport, (ref..ELD87/38/11/55) between James Blake, merchant of
Yarmouth, and Alan Bradbury, coal merchant of Southampton, was for
"the lease of a further part of Yarmouth Mill for six months and for
the purchase of the stock in trade of the Mill" The adjacent gas works
had been built in 1859. A further document (ref. ELD87/38/11/66) dated
19 March 1900 concerns the transfer of the legal estate, including the
Mill, mortgaged by James Blake for £1641. In the 1901 Census the Mill
is shown as unoccupied.

In later years the Mill became a private residence and was eventually
owned by A.J.P.Taylor, the historian and TV personality. It is still
owned by his sons, Giles and Sebastion, but it now comprises a number
of holiday apartments for renting.