A TRAVELLING EXPAT FAMILY FINALLY FOUND HOME IN A SMALL VILLAGE IN THE QUANTOCKS
My husband left the UK over two decades ago with his work, he never thought he was going to be away for this long nor that he will return with a family! I met him in Budapest and left my home country, Hungary, behind at the turn of the century. We were off to Taiwan, China, Hong Kong and Russia, and never once regretted our amazing journey.
However as time went by and we had our twin girls, we kept thinking of settling down. So in between earthquakes; during typhoons in Asia, and during the long cold winter nights in Moscow, we were on the internet searching for our dream home. The moment we saw Splatt Mill for sale, we simply loved it, but it wasn't the big screaming realisation, it was more of a quiet hope that when we see it face to face we will like it as much as in the pictures.
We jumped on the flight and went to see it. Spent 20 minutes viewing the property and travelled back to Russia. 6 months later Splatt Mill was ours and the new chapter of our life was about to begin!
SHORT HISTORY OF THE MILL
Splatt Mill, also historically called Legge's Mill, east of Court Farm, may have been the Spaxton manor mill recorded in 1329. It was certainly let in the 15th century, when it was known as Spaxton mill, and was repaired in 1477. Ownership descended with Spaxton manor and the mill, set up to use an overshot water wheel, also had a bakery attached in the 19th century.
In the early 20th century the mill ground 300 sacks of wheat and barley each week including Russian, Persian and American grain. Six horses were kept for transporting to and from Bridgwater railway station twice a day. During the First World War stone from Cannington quarry was ground at the mill. In the 1950s the mill was grinding barley, oats, and beans for cattle feed.
In 1985 the building was converted for residential use. The current mill workings date from the 18th century, with 19th century additions and extra machinery. The mill house dates from the 16th or 17th century but was altered in the 18th.