# Stambridge Mill, Rochford March 2012



## prettyvacant71 (Jun 8, 2012)

Hello again peeps!

I thought I’d put this little post up whilst I still had an internet connection as I thought I’d be offline for a few days. Anyway, this visit wasn’t exactly “inspirational”, in fact if it weren’t for the 6 big green silos id say don’t bother really....unless you not travelling too far that is.
It’s a small site and most of the buildings are either burnt out or inaccessible, unless your quite good at climbing which sadly I’m not. Maybe there are some interesting bits to see that I’ve missed or couldn’t reach, (which is very possible!) I’m not selling this place am I!! Just being honest so folks don’t waste their time and petrol!
Don’t get me wrong, I did enjoy having a mooch around, and I do like silos, I like all tall industrial things, chimneys, water towers oh and of course gasometers, but these were your “standard silos” and not very old either. They did have some rather funny shaped “extensions” on them that I found interesting; in fact my report is really a study of the silos! So if you have a few hours to spare and you’ve nothing left to do in your life, you’ve washed your hair, wormed the dog, picked that big bogey outa ya nose and you need a UE fix then this may just hold you until you find a another place. 

So here’s a little history....

I’ve found very little information about this place, which is rather strange as it once played a huge part in the local industry. There’s plenty of info about the new planning applications online but little history. So I will tell you all I know... 

The mill is adjacent to the River Roach and is sitting there nervously awaiting demolition, like a prisoner waiting on death row; it seems to know its fate. Some of the brick buildings have already been demolished, illegally. According to a local resident, “someone with a digger” went a bit mental and couldn’t take the drawn out planning applications processes any longer, as there is some opposition to the building of 96 faceless flats on the site. 

The lane running up to the mill isn’t a typical road, it’s a quiet country lane that was rather hectic when traffic to the mill was in full blast, but since its closure in the late 90's the residents of the 10 houses down the lane have enjoyed a peaceful life and now dread the many cars that nearly a hundred apartments bring. So this guy took things into his own hands and started “work” without full consent. The digger now sits grumpily in the front yard behind the main gates, like a pit ball that’s been told off for chewing the postman’s leg off....every dog has its day, and it will soon. 

The local towns history was based around corn production and milling, with the surrounding fields growing crops when the mill was built during the mid 1850’s, but it looked a completely different place then. Barges pulled up to the River Roach and took tons of milled flour away transporting it to smaller businesses. Now that I‘ve put you off from going.....have a look at some pics!








It was a frosty morning, the sun had yet to rise....I could see the mysterious green things in the distance, there was six of them, huddled together discussing their fate, suddenly the golden orange glow of the morning sun cut through the haze of the mist and glistened on their shimmering green skins......ok ok, enough of the bulshit, im just trying to get you going ooooo, ahhhh this sounds interesting....








The River Roach were the barges use to collect the flour









http://s1153.photobucket.com/albums...w&current=StambridgeMillsRochfordEssex016.jpg









Is this another example of the “phantom chair dude” who goes around to all the asylums, hospitals, factories etc and places chairs in appropriate places, like spooky corridors with just the right amount of light hitting them??? Did they run out of ideas, were there no good spots for that isolated chair look in Stambridge Mill?? Have they gone mad themselves?? I think all good fences should have a chair incorporated within their design









The beasts need to be kept behind barbed wire














I like the little “breather platform” to have a fag and admire the view after a tough climb























Im trying to capture all their aesthetics!!








How can you not like these shadows! Ahhh, little 1” nuts make long shadows.....Confucius















Your all getting fed up with them now aren’t you??








Ok just one more.....you know you want it








I know this is a weird thing to say, well especially to think, but if im the only one who things this I wish i hadn’t said a thing!.....but does it look as if these silos have got, how do i put it, erm, abit, like, “excited”....does anyone know wot i mean??? Im gonna shut up now. Lets have a look around the rest of the site.

















A local guy who use to work at the mill told me that these funnels emit the flour dust as it’s extremely combustible. In the evening when the sun goes down you can see white plumes of “flour smoke” and sparks as the extractor fans suck up the dust and disperse it into the atmosphere......hmmmm, i found that a rather interesting fact....millennium mills has loads of em (not lucky enough to have got on the roof, just seen pics) and yes i really am crying









The results of a very angry man























One of the out houses......your missing the silos already aren’t you???









Look at some pipes instead









Or some wires....








Here look a plan....









I was balancing the camera on some pipes when sec walked past, actually stuck their head into the doorway, im sure i had eye contact...i was bang to rites standing there like a rite plonker wiv a silly grin (i was only grinning cause i thought id got caught, and lets face it, its happened enough times to me wot else can you do....i haven’t lost it that much yet that im found in corners grinning to meself) but they didn't see me! Spooky....I hear that if you stare at the silos for 10 seconds and play ozzy osbourne on ya ipod (backwards ofcourse) you can become invisible for 1 minute. I think thats wot happened to me.


























































The parts behind this building were totally burnt out








see look burnt out bits







Ok, ok just one more








Matching silos and shed....thats your lot now








now where did i leave them silos......sorry








The digger waiting patiently....








The last one honest....wen i took this shot i stood in exactly the same place as before, but im certain that they were 1 foot nearer to me....im very frightened now.

Bye, bye folks....thanks for looookin, safe splores!


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## UE-OMJ (Jun 8, 2012)

Great post, with added humour too  I enjoyed reading that, and looking at the silos


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## UrbanX (Jun 8, 2012)

Enjoyed the write up, going to have to borrow your invisibility cloak! 
Fantastic photos and it looks an epic site, pretty mint too. Cheers for taking the time to share.


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## Ninja Kitten (Jun 8, 2012)

really like that.thankyou for posting.


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## flyboys90 (Jun 8, 2012)

Well you,ve got some cracking photos,thanks for sharing.


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## krela (Jun 8, 2012)

Best... report... ever!


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## Munchh (Jun 8, 2012)

Great post, presentation and images are excellent. Thanks for this


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## flyboys90 (Jun 8, 2012)

Brill post & photos,thanks for sharing.


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## prettyvacant71 (Jun 13, 2012)

UrbanX said:


> Enjoyed the write up, going to have to borrow your invisibility cloak!
> Fantastic photos and it looks an epic site, pretty mint too. Cheers for taking the time to share.



Thanks dude...and sorry mate i can't find where i bloody left it!


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## prettyvacant71 (Jun 13, 2012)

krela said:


> Best... report... ever!



well thankyou Krela....im grinning like a nutter now!


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## prettyvacant71 (Jun 13, 2012)

UE-OMJ said:


> Great post, with added humour too  I enjoyed reading that, and looking at the silos



your still lookin at the silos aren't you??? Cheers matey


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