Water Level Marker Stone- Loxley

[jimbob55]

Don't know if this has been posted on here before, (but i'm sure i'm about to find out !). I was recently out at Loxley taking some photographs of the old refractories around Storrs Bridge lane, when i came across this, laid on one of the pathways.

The inscription is MARK BELOW

----------------------TWO FEET

---------------------- ABOVE WEIR

----------------------AS AGREED

------------------------182?

Last number seems to be 3 but not entirely sure.

[SteveHB]

On 06/10/2011 at 10:20, jimbob55 said:

Don,t know if this has been posted on here before,( but i,m sure i,m about to find out ! ) .I was recently out at Loxley taking some photographs of the old refractories around Storrs Bridge lane ,when i came across this, laid on one of the pathways.



The inscription is MARK BELOW
----------------------TWO FEET
---------------------- ABOVE WEIR
----------------------AS AGREED
------------------------182?
Last number seems to be 3 but not entirely sure.

Found this Jim,
scroll down to (points of Interest) number 9. Marker Stone.
https://bradfield-walkers.org.uk/walks-around-bradfield/loxley-valley/

I wonder who the mill owners were?

[Bayleaf]

According to the Water Power book, the dispute was between Thomas Harrison who owned (and later his daughters daughters who inherited ) Storrs Bridge Wheel, and Samuel Newbould, owner of the Old Wheel weir.

It was claimed that when Newbould's shuttles were down, the water backed up Storrs Bridge Wheel tail goit and stopped the wheel from working. Legal opinion was that any chance of the daughters bringing a legal action for interruption had died with their father, and an agreement was reached in 1923 which also involved the sale of some land to Newbould.

In 1825 Storrs Bridge Wheel was sold to the Tingles, and in that year water levels were taken and carved into this marker stone.

Disputes between millowners over water were not uncommon. Where the same landowner owned both sides of the river, these could often be settled via them, as they usually owned the wheels and rented them out. However, where the two sides were owned by different landowners, disputes could be lengthy and complicated, resorting to the courts.