Garden

Bere Mill History

The history of Bere Mill spans centuries. A mill and land on the River Test that has fulfilled industrial, agricultural and residential purposes, now a private house and garden with farm and butchery.

8000 BC

River Test starts to flow as outlet stream from retreating ice cap.

9/10th century

Construction of Saxon mill over River Test: Listed in Domesday Book.

Late 17th century

Construction of water meadows and carrier streams up and down stream of Bere Mill.

1712

Rebuilding of Bere Mill by Widow Deane.

1718

Bere Mill leased to Henri Portal for paper making; 1724 Henri wins contract to supply bank note paper to Bank of England.

Late 18th century

Conversion of paper mill to corn mill.

1904

Adaption of mill to supply electric power upstream to Laverstoke plant of Portals and partial reconstruction of mill and attached barns.

1993

Bere Mill sold by Portals to the Nabarro family who renovate and convert millers house and part of mill to residential accommodation.

1995

Work on new gardens starts together with purchase of adjacent land (200ac) to integrate landscape into garden.

2018

Fire destroys house and mill followed by comprehensive reconstruction.