The History of Fringford Mill (Oxfordshire)

Fringford Mill dates back to around the early 18th century, although there may have been a mill on the site since medieval times. There were several alterations and extensions made to both the mill itself and the attached millhouse during the 19th and 20th centuries.

This water-powered cornmill is is now a Grade II listed building.

In January 1914, William Fennemore of Fringford Mill died after a long period of illness. As per his wishes, his body was transported to the churchyard in his miller's cart.

In 1949, it was reported that Thomas H. Allen and his wife had recently celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary. According to the article, published in the Bicester Herald:

"They were married at Croughton Parish Church by the Reverend John Lister on 17th August 1889, and have four daughters, one son, and seven grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter. Mr Allen, 84, and his wife, 81, enjoy good health. Mr Allen carried on a milling and threshing business at Fringford Mill from 1908 to 1941, and was well known to the agricultural community within a wide area. The couple left the mill in 1946 to take up residence in the village of Fringford."

Earlier on, in 1916, Mr Allen had applied for a conditional exemption to avoid being conscripted to fight in World War One; he claimed that he did the vast majority of the work for the threshing and milling businesses himself, as his father was no longer able, and that "if called up, it would mean a very serious financial loss". Unfortunately, his application was refused, so he was presumably forced to fight in the end.

In 1839, Jeffrey C. Tradwall of Oddington Grange Farm was returning home from Buckingham Fair, and was attacked close to Fringford Mill. Apparently, three men surrounded him, pulled him off of his horse, and robbed him of 14s. Luckily, he was not seriously harmed.

On 24th April 1878, the volunteers and yeomanry of the Bicester District staged a 'sham-fight' in Fringford; the 'enemy' was supposed to be marching from Buckingham to Oxford, and the Oxfordshire Yeomanry Cavalry were sent out as an advanced guard. During the mock battle, Fringford Mill was used as an 'outpost'!

Another previous miller of Fringford Mill was Mr W. A. Walters, who employed a young man called Henry Young; the latter was charged with stealing "a quantity of flour, his master's property" in January 1868.

Sadly, a fatal accident occurred close to the mill - on 25th August 1880, a child who's father was a labourer by the name of Blake was hanging off the back of a waggon laden with corn, returning from the harvest field; somehow, the poor child became entangled in one of the wheels, and was dragged some distance along the road. A newspaper article reads "when extricated, the body was lifeless and dreadfully mutilated". 

Supernatural phenomena known as 'Corpse Lights' have apparently been seen in and around the mill, supposedly luring unsuspecting travellers to their deaths!

The map below is courtesy of Dark Oxfordshire, and shows the location of the mill.

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