Mills

Caffyn's Steam Mill

Caffyn's steam mill was built in about 1895 to replace Hazelwick Water Mill when it could no longer cope.



Hazelwick Mill and Pond
Flood Gates

Hazelwick Mill probably dated from the mid eighteenth century. It was a part of Hazelwick Farm, which the Crabbet Park Estate let to the Caffin brothers. Peter Caffin was the miller. The water-mill was in Hazelwick Mill Lane adjacent to the railway bridge. A long narrow mill-pond was regulated by flood-gates just to the north of the High Street (now Haslett Avenue).

Mill Path
The mill was abandoned in 1895, falling into disrepair and eventually being demolished, and the mill-pond became silted up. It was replaced by a new steam mill, built to the south-east of the railway station.



Ifield Mill

Ifield Windmill stood on Ifield Green. The brick base was demolished when the new town Ifield neighbourhood was started.


Ifield Steam MillLocally Listed

When the mill ceased working the machinary was given to the Science Museum who passed it on to a German site. The building has been renovated and turned into a craft centre.


Ifield Water MillGrade II Listed (1948)

The mill was in use by 1660, but was rebuilt after a fire in 1683 and again about 1817. It ceased working about 1925. Crawley Borough Council gave permission for restoration and the previous owner, Mr. Gordon A. Wood, donated 10,000 with other donations being made from local companies. In 1974 work began to restore the Watermill and rebuild the waterwheel, and from 2001 the grinding of corn resumed for demonstration purposes.

EW (Ted) Henbery MBE (28th August 1931-13th December 2020)
Despite Ifield Water Mill's dilapidated state Ted realised the importance of preserving the mill and from its purchase by Crawley UDC in 1973 he led a team of volunteers to restore the it. In the late 1970s the Mill opened to the public. Ted continued working on the maintenance and restoration of the mill until his retirement. He was awarded an MBE for his voluntary service and the Ifield Watermill restoration.
A Guide to Ifield Water Mill, E.W. Henbery (Crawley Museum Society)
Ifield Mill; How the Mill Works (Crawley Museum Society, 1994)
Ifield Water Mill: Its Owners and Occupiers, P. Bracher (Crawley Museum Society, 2001)
Machines at Ifield Water Mill, Nick and Angela Sexton, Catherine Reed (Crawley Museum Society, 2006)
Ifield Water Mill in Victorian Times (Crawley Museum Society, 2006)

Lowfield Heath Mill

The mill was moved to Charlwood Zoo where it was restored.


Simmins Mill

W. Simmins started his corn merchant business in the 1860s. He built a corn mill in the yard of the Railway Hotel. The mill was served by a siding from the adjacent railway, and was said to be six storeys high. The business was taken over by Charles Agate who ran it until the 1890s.