Page 11 - HB- Batchley Valley

Batchley Valley Redditch Heritage

The Mills

Old Mill, possibly dating from the 17th century, was served by Hewell Stream, and
initially by Bordesley Stream, which flowed into a series of mill ponds. Originally used
for grinding corn it had been partially converted, by 1800 for needle pointing and
scouring. The power was supplied by an 18ft overshot water wheel, the collapse of
which, in 1936, precipitated the closure of the mill. The site was shortly after taken over
for development of the High Duty Alloys factory.

New Mill, immediately below Old Mill was, from about 1822, worked as a separate unit.
For nearly all of its life it was engaged in the production of needles, springs and
presswork. It was demolished around 1980 to make way for an extension of the HDA.
factory. A small supply from a side stream is retained for cooling purposes at the
factory.

The Red Ditch?

The remains of a large earth dam, stretching across the valley, west of Forge Mill,
existed until obliterated by road works in 1980. It impounded the Old Pool, an area of
water of about 15 acres, which once extended up the valley to a point near New Mill.
Fed, probably by the originally undiverted Batchley Brook, it would have stored water
for Bordesley Abbey, and possibly powered a small water mill. In later years the site
was used as a tip and many tons of refuse gradually filled the pool. Over its site was
constructed first, in 1826, the Pershore turnpike road, then the Redditch Railway.
Finally, in 1978, came the realigned Birmingham Road, now known as Alvechurch
Highway.

From a rift in the dam emerged a small sluggish rivulet which flowed across the old
Bordesley Lane by means of a shallow ford, before joining Batchley Brook below Forge
Mill. Whether, as is sometimes believed, debris from early iron making was left in the
pond, or whether it was the effect of generations of Redditch domestic waste, but the
little stream was always stained a deep red.

The Home Straight

The site of the Old Pool was bypassed on the south side by the canalised Batchley Brook
which then entered a long "bottle" pond which formed the headrace for Forge Mill. The
inlet and overflow of the pond were originally both at its west end, so unless the mill was
working there was no flow.

Unfortunately, recent developments have led to a reduction in efficiency of the water
supply. In 1980 the "Sainsbury's Island" was constructed and the supply of water to
the mill was separated off a few yards west of a long culvert under the island. After that
the flow to Forge Mill was never really adequate.

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