10th Dec 20
The Frogmill, is a recently discovered, unrecorded mill. I had met the name in searching tithes maps two years ago. In a recent search of possible lost mills in Dodgson’s Place-Names of Cheshire, Vol 3, I came across an interesting reference on p.128 for Acton, Nantwich : Froggemulne c,1302, Frogghe Mulne 1303-5 (‘mill at a place infested by frogs.’)
In Elspeth Thomas’ book, The Story of Kelsall’ (posthumous 1987?),p.82 reads: The Frogmill may well have been the nickname for a small area of marsh on the newly enclosed Kelsall Smeath.
EDT 221/2 SJ 522 675 Field 452 Owners: Trustees of Chester Blue School, Occupier James Prescott.
Today, a remaining area of the marshy ground remains alongside Salters Brook
Locating the actual mill site is conjecture but Greenwood’s 1819, offers a possible one.
A small pool is visible at a junction of two roads. The mill would be on firm ground off the marsh but, clearly on the brook. The modern map includes new roads into a housing estate not shown on early maps. A further clue is shown on the OS 1875. Access to the road puts the mill (circled) on field 253 also owned and occupied as in 1838.
Finally, an aerial view of the site in relation to the wider settlement area. Note the road. The Wynd, forms the border between the two relevant fields.
Further research might be of use, but the redevelopment of the area is unlikely to bring anything, unless it’s archaeological.
Oct 2022 revision: Unlikely the Nantwich reference earlier, this mill is possibly a brick making one, as nearby 394 Brick Kiln Field, 1838 tithe (EDT 221/2) supports the name ‘Frog Mill’.
‘A frog is an indentation in a brick that can be on one or two surfaces.
It is thought that the word frog is a translation of the Dutch word ‘kikker’ and refers to a kicker placed in the bottom of the wooden boxes traditionally used to make clay bricks, which forced the clay material outwards when the brick was being formed.
The frog reduces the amount of material used to form the brick, makes it easier to remove from the form’. (Wikipedia)