Whatmore Family History

Tucked away in the south Shropshire Hills, alongside a raging brook, visitors cannot fail to fall in love with Detton Mill, the Mill House and the setting. Nowhere could be more peaceful. The tranquility, however, has not always existed. Up the hill stands the half-timbered Detton Hall and in the fields behind it can be traced the house platforms and sunken ways of what was once a subbstantial village with its own chapel - but abandoned in mediaeval times. Much later, in recent times, this was once again not such a peaceful spot. The mill is approached along a broad straight lane which is in fact the former track of the Cleobury Mortimer and Ditton Priors Light Railway which was opened in 1908 to bring stone from the quarries on the Brown  Clee and to provide passenger transport. A halt was provided at Detton and the hut in which passengers sheltered whilst awaiting their trains still remains on the lane to the mill. In 1909 the Detton Ford - Titterstone Clee aerial ropeway was opened to bring stone down to sidings built at Detton Ford. The Discharge Terminal was just beyond the sidings on the other side of the road. The Office still remains, now derelict. So what with the sounds from the mill, the rattle of the trains and the tremendous noise whenever a load from the aerial ropeway was discharged, not to mention the dust, Detton Mill was not the most desirable of residences in the early twentieth century.  The last passenger train on the line ran on Saturday 24 September 1938, and until the War started there was just a daily afternoon goods train. During the War, an armament depot was set up at Ditton Priors which was served by the light railway. By 1954, freight services on the line were only being provided as required  though this could sometimes mean three trains a week. The depot at Ditton Priors was closed in 1965 and although it was later used by the US Army, traffic on the line ceased on 16 April 1965. The mill and the aerial ropeway had long since stopped operating, so peace at last returned to the valley of the Rea Brook at Detton.

Detton Mill  Copyright: Rhys Whatmore  Reproduced by kind permission of the owners of the Mill

The Domesday Book mentions mills in the Rea valley and one of these might have been a mill at Detton. There was a certainly a mill there before about 1627, because at that time Detton Mill was sold or mortaged by George Detton to Henry Englefield.

On 8 February 1662  a water corn and grist mill at Detton, owned by Henry Englefield  and his wife of Englefield, Berkshire and by Richard Walker of Wooton was leased to Andrew Adams of Detton and his son Edward and daughter Anne for 99 years or the lives of Andrew, Edward and Ann. By the terms of the lease, Andrew Adams was to build a timber wheat mill and adjoin it to the corn mill.

 In 1667  Henry Englefield sold Detton Mill to Richard Cresswell of Sidbury.

Detton Mill House  Copyright: Rhys Whatmore  Reproduced by kind permission of the owners of the house 

In 1710, Thomas Hackluit was at Detton Mill.

On 10/11 May 1710, the water corn and grist mill, dwelling house etc at Detton was sold or rented to Richard Farmer of Kemsay, Worcestershire. The mill is described as being owned by Richard Cresswell the Younger of Rudge and his wife, Charles Pearce of Downton, Stanton Lacey and John Dallow of Rudge. The document states that the mill was lately in possession of Andrew Adams and now of Thomas Hackluit.

In 1730, Detton Mill became the property of Richard Hinckesman as part of a marriage settlement when he married Ann Farmer.

It is now that the Watmore family comes on to the scene. In 1736, James Watmore was granted a lease of Detton Mill.

 The above two photographs  are of the lease of 1736. This lease is Document 1298/25 of the Hinckesman papers and is the copyright of Shropshire Archives. These photographs are reproduced here by kind permission of Shropshire Archives.

The following transcription of the lease (Document 1298/25 of the Hinckesman papers) is the copyright of Shropshire Archives and is reproduced here by their kind permission.

7 July 1736

1. Richard Hinckesman of Neen Savage gentleman and Richard farmer of Kemsey co Worcs gentleman

2. James Watmore of Detton in the parish of Neen milner

Consideration of rent

demise of a messuage and dwellinghouse and two water corn mills in the parish of Neen Savage called Detton Mills (now James Watmore and Elizabeth Farmer), with appertenances, from the death of Ann Hyde of Detton widow for a term of 21 years and until the Ladyday following. Rent £22, with re-entry after 40 days if no sufficient distress is found. Covenant for payment of rent. The tenant agrees to spend all hay, straw, muck, compost, on  the premises and at his own cost during the life of Ann Hyde to repair three parts in five all the buildings belonging to the messuage, mills and weir (excepting the building in possession of Elizabeth Farmer) and after Ann Hyde’s death to keep the windows of the dwelling house,and cogs and rounds or running geer for the mill in repair. He will not plough in any year more than 6 acres of the premises on two of the three pieces now in tillage, the piece below the mill and orchard adjoing the Rea to be in the space of 3 years from the presnt laid down and not afterwards ploughed or otherwise broken up without special licence and consent of Richard Hinckesman his heirs and assigns. Hinckesman covenants to put the buildings into tenantable repair (except what James Watmore hads already covented to do) and to pay out of the rent all taxes levied on the premises. Covent for quiet possession. Watmore and his servants may enter the premises after the experation of the term to fence and preserve all bread corn sowed on a summers fallow  at Michelmas preceeding anfd at harvest next cut, reap and carry it away into the barn belonging to the premises, there to thresh and carry away the seed at any time before 1 March following, leaving the straw for the use of the premises. The building of the mills, and mill and wear shall be repaired by Watmore before Michelmas next, the mills to be covered with slate with rafters, side pieces, first pole and lath according, one stone for a corn mill, to be hanged , one nea through to be made and another repaired with new heading a water wall two feet and a half broad; if the wheels will allow; the mills on the North and South sides to be built with stone 18″ thick and another stone wall to be made between the wear and the wheels 3′ thick down to the bottom of the throughs, and before Michelmas 1737 Watmore is to make another stone wall up by the side of the pound from the said mill northwards to a certain Wythy above the gate in the meadow above the house  next to the pound side, to contain in height 2′ from the ground up to the gatepost next the pound and to drop in height   regularly one foot to the mill 2 parts in five at the expense of Hinckesman and Farmer as to the timber work andn three parts in five as to the stone work, the remainder of the cost is to be borne by Watmore, his executors and assigns; in casde the repairs are not finished by Michelmas next and the wall by the pound side by Michelmas 1737, these presnts shall become void.

Signatures of Richard Hinckesman, Richard Farmer, James Watmore

Endorsed the mill stone above mentioned is to be the one lately brought to the premises, 3/5 of the expenses for the stone and hanging it to be paid by Hinckesman his heirs and assigns on condition that Watmore within 3 years plant 80 poplar seatts, then least to be 4″ at the butt in girth, upon the most convenient place on the premises.

Witnesses to sealing: - John Lloyd, Benjamin Thomas, margrett Harmar, Francis Fawkes

James had been born in 1697 at Cleobury Mortimer, the son of James Watmore and Catherine, and he was the great grandson of Thomas Watmore of Curdale Farm, Cleobury Mortimer who will be described in a later post.

James had married Ann Jordan in 1724 at Munslow and their first child James was born the same year at Stottesdon.

The lease of 1736 suggests that at this time the Mill House consisted of two cottages and  alterations made later to convert these into one dwelling are still visible in the house today. Two of the rooms contain  beautiful old panelling which has obviously been brought from elsewhere and cut to fit, so this panelling was probably installed when the two dwellings were made into one.

James and Ann had seven known children. These were James 1724 - who took after the Mill on his father’s death, Ann 1726 - 1728, Mary 1732, John 1734 who married Jane Powell and went to Morville - one of his descendants founded the Birmingham Jewellers branch of the Whatmore family to which Geoffrey Whatmore our family historian belongs, William 1736 who married Catherine Butcher and who lived at Stottesdon and Biotterley, Thomas who died in infancy in 1738 and Joseph 1739 who went to Bridgnorth.

James, the first miller, died in 1781 but already in 1760 a new lease had been obtained from Richard Hinckeman in the name of James’ son and his son’s wife Elizabeth. The lease was of 3 water corn mills etc for 99 years or the lives of James Watmore and Elizabeth his wife. It may have been at this time that the two dwellings were converted into one. This lease of 1760 was surrendered on 1 January 1771 in favour of a new lease.

 The above two photographs are of the lease of 1771. This is Document 1298/26 of the Hinckesman papers and  is copyright of Shropshire Archives. These photographs are reproduced here by kind permission of Shropshire Archives.

The following transcription of the lease of 1771 (Document 1298/26 of the Hinckesman papers) is the copyright of Shropshire Archives and is reproduced here by their kind permission.

1 January 1771

1. Richard Hinckesman of Neen Savage gentleman

2.  James Watmore ……. Savage miller

Consideration: surrender of a former lease dated 31 December 1760 by Hinckesman to Watmore for 99 years or lives of James Watmore, and Elizabeth his wife; … money

Demise of a messuage, garden, orchard and outbuildings, 3 water corn mills with the fleam stream, wears etc (now occupied by Watmore), (reserving minerals, lime and stone with liberty to dig for them) for term of 99 years or lives of James Watmore, Elizabeth his wife and James their son. Rent £20, wirth re-entry after 20 days if no sufficient distress is found. The tenant is not to assign except in trust for his wife or children without special licence in writing. If the messuage, mills, buildings, millstones, wheels, headings, troughs, throughs, cogs, rounds, flood-gates, wears, dams or running geer is out of repair for 6 months after notice in writing  shall be given by Hinckesman, his heirs or assigns, he may re-enter and the lease shall determine.

Covenant for payment of rent, for repair of the property, for use of the premises in proper and husbandlike manner, using on them all hay, straw, muck, dung, earth, soil and compost. The tenant will not crop or shred any sapling, young oak or ash or other tree but such as have been usually cropt but do all in his power to preserve the trees with the fruit trees now on the premises. he will not convert to tillage or hop garden any of the ancient meadow land or piece of land next below the mill adjoining the River Rea (4a) without licence in writing. he will pay all taxes and assessments except land tax. Hinckesman and his servants have the right to enter the premises at any time without trespass, Hinckesman, his heirs and assigns and their servants may inspect the premises He agrees to allow Watmore for any land tax charged and to find sufficient timber, stone and other materials for necessary repairs

Signatures of Richard Hinckesman, James Watmore junior

Witnesses:- John Baxter, William Waddington

James the second Detton miller married Elizabeth Morris in 1760. They had four known children, all born at Detton : Ann 1761, Esther 1763, Mary 1766 and James 1768. James the second miller died in 1811 and his wife Elizabeth in 1777.

James Watmore born 1768 was the third of the Detton millers. He married Mary Haycox in 1786. They had ten known children. James the third miller died in 1820 and his wife in 1834.

The mill now passed to James and Mary’s eldest son, another James, born in 1787. We know that this James who was the fourth miller, was there in 1828 but by the time of the  1841 census the Watmores had left Detton Mill and Joseph Wheeler is shown as miller.

The local miller was a person of high standing in the local community and the James Watmores were obvious candidates for the difficult role of Parish Constable. They held that post in 1754, 1764, 1802, on several occasions to 1814, and again in 1820.  The Jameses also served as Church wardens and as Overseers of the Poor. In  1749, James Watmore as Church warden paid for the parish register to be copied and sent to the Bishop, looked after the washing of surplices and table linen, purchased new bell ropes and settled accounts for building materials. As Overseer, James the first miller had to make a 40 mile journey to Birmingham and back. He also made visits to Kinlet and Bridgnorth. He received payment of 1s 6d for his year in office. In 1774, James the second was responsible, on behalf of the parish, for the purchase of 4,500 tiles at a cost of £5. 2.9d  and he also paid for the pulpit to be moved.

Although his baptism has not been traced, the censuses show a James Watmore born at Upper Neen (Neen Savage) in 1814. This James married Mary Ann Bird in 1845 at Belbroughton and his marriage certificate shows his father as a James Watmore, Miller. This James born 1814 must therefore be the son of James the fourth miller of Detton. James and Mary Ann had one child, Alfred, born at Kinver in 1848. Alfred, with his wife Lucy Rollinson settled in Brierley Hill, Staffordshire where they had nine children, some of whose descendants have been traced down to the present day.

One final Whatmore connection with Detton - or rather with the railway -  in 1928 a Mr Whatmore was shot out of his open car when it was in collision with a train at Neen Lane crossing. Luckily Mr Whatmore was unhurt. 

 Please note that Detton Mill and Detton Mill House are private properties and the privacy of their owners should be respected.

The sources for this post were: ‘Wat’s brother-in-Law’ by Geoffrey Whatmore, the ‘Hinckesman papers’ at Shropshire Archives and ‘The Cleobury Mortimer and Ditton Priors Light Railway’ by W. Smith and K. Beddoes, published by Oxford Publishing Co. 1980.