Today 2014 the Mill is occupied by John Dobson comb-makers and specialist suppliers Click
http://combs.co.uk/ for further information
Near to the Mill is a plaque which says "The Mill was given in 1094 to St Mary's Abbey at York by Ivo de Taillbois. In 1460 William Booth Archbishop of York granted it to Heversham Church. Originally used for grinding corn, the mill later spun flax, hemp, wool and cotton."
'Built (re-built?) in the early 19thC Bela Mill ... manufactured twine, sacking and canvas. In 1866 it turned to comb-making.' Source: Industrial Archaeology of the Lake Counties M Davies-Shiel & JD Marshall 1969
There are also various references to horn and bone being supplied by local farmers and tortoise-shell is thought to have been imported via the port at Milnthorpe. A recent oral history interview with a former worker revealed that the mill still had bone-comb machines until just after the Second World War.
The record photos were produced especially for this Gallery and for the Natural Legacy Discovery Project (2014) in co-operation with John Dobson Ltd. To see Interactive Digital Discovery map for the area click
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?msid=214169920638360354198.0004f2a19cd2c97066b55&msa=0&ll=54.275048,-2.79705&spn=0.152353,0.268822 The Mill once had a large bat colony, and otters still occur in the river today. KH
