Past Glories

Domesday Book listed 3 mills in Banbury, one of which was almost certainly in a prime position west of the river Cherwell, not far from the market square. That one eventually became known as The Bishop's Mill but, by 1695, was simply Banbury Mill. In the 19th century, the miller there was Thomas Staley, a prodigious entrepreneur and father of a dynasty that built up a very profitable business, generating enough spare capital for Thomas to leave the Mill House and move to middle-class Horsefair, beside Banbury Cross

No doubt the arrival of the canal, on one side of the Mill and, subsequently, the railway on the other,  was a big help to their trade, which diversified into animal feed and coal. A Banbury start-up provided a steam engine to supplement water power as early as 1821. By 1877 the Staley era was over, and the company was wound up. 'Staley's Mill' reverted to being Banbury Mill again, and remained in business - powered from the 1920s by electricity - for at least the first half of the 20th century

Banbury is not good at conserving its industrial heritage, but the mill building still stands, as an exception - nowadays an arts venue with a cafe where we got tea and excellent gluten free brownie today. Not for the first time, we were the only customers. If you would like some historical research of your own, both The Fureys and Lindisfarne are appearing this month - book now

Between milling grain and milling hordes, the building spent a period in the 1960s in relative obscurity as a warehouse for the business run by the proprietors of this place. Lamprey's were another firm of entrepreneurs, who identified the power of advertising. Banbury became, for a while, one of the most important livestock markets in England. From my childhood home, we would bring our better dairy cattle the 65km to Banbury, rather than much nearer Rugby, looking for buyers with a discerning eye. Lamprey's farm supllies business rose with the market and, it seems, declined with it. Their iconic building on the market place is now occupied by an estate agent 

The picture is a great example of a missed photo-opportunity. If I had taken time not just to look, but to see, I would have included all the reflection in the wet pavement and had a far more pleasing shot. But hey, it was raining