Site of a fulling mill shown on map of 1777.

In 1086 there were two mills in Lexden, one of which was probably on the site of the later Lexden Mill, south of New Bridge. A mill south of New Bridge was mentioned in the 1240's, and the millers of Lexden Mill were regularly presented at the borough lawhundred courts from 1334. It was farmed for 40s in 1352. Thomas Godstone, the farmer in 1403 rebuilt Middle Mill in Colchester and may have built the second mill which existed in Lexden by 1431. By 1455 the mills stood either side of a bridge, presumably the later Lexden Bridge. From the late 15th century to 1719 the two mills were farmed together. The mill south of the river is described as a little or overshot fulling mill at the head of a pond south of the bridge. The mill was converted c1720 for crushing seed for oil. From about the 1740's until 1772 it was occupied by John and Henry Stow. By 1775 it was a bay mill and was leased that year to the Colchester baymker Tabor and Boggis. Their successor Peter Devall was the lesee in 1821. The bay mill was still working in 1822, but was in ruins by c1830 and soon afterwards was converted into a corn mill, which was in use until 1898. The building survived in 1931.<2>