A 250-year-old mill that's become a glorious family home — and it's just 45 minutes to London
Little Braxted Mill is a comfortable family home, where ancient machinery and the gentle meandering River Blackwater reminds residents of its former life.

Listed Grade II and near the village of Little Braxted, five-bedroom Little Braxted Mill is a substantial and versatile family home with spacious accommodation throughout.
Arriving onto the market via Savills with a guide price of £1.1 million, Little Braxted Mill as it stands today is thought to have been built circa 1750, although the mill has had many forebears.
Many, many forbears. A mill on this site is mentioned in the Domesday Book.
Set over four storeys (including a spacious attic), the property is a period delight, with plenty of exposed beams, red brick fireplaces and the original axle to the mill wheel still in place.
Although milling stopped in 1886, the mill race passes through the centre of the building and can be seen from a viewing platform on the ground floor. This creates the sound of running water throughout many of the rooms — a relaxing reminder of its former life.
The rest of the entertaining space is cosy yet comfortable. In fact, many of the rooms enjoy a river view and extended views over the garden and surrounding countryside.
Externally, the property is built from half-white timber weatherboard cladding and half-red brick, with a timber-supported lucam — where a hoist, used for winching sacks, was stored.
Sign up for the Country Life Newsletter
Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.
The gardens extend to just over half an acre and come with river frontage.
Carefully curated over many years, the garden provides all-year colour with climbing roses, clematis, cherry trees and white ribes, among other shrubs and trees. There are also several terraced areas and quiet corners to take in the idyllic surroundings.
Also within the grounds is the Pool House, a useful and versatile space which features a large games room, as well as an indoor exercise pool and a shower room.
Little Braxted village is surrounded by open countryside, providing many walking and cycling trails. Within its confines is a Grade II medieval church and the surrounding villages of Witham and Great Braxted provide day-to-day amenities.
Trains run from Witham to London Liverpool Street in 45 minutes, and the larger towns of Chelmsford (11 miles) and Colchester (13 miles) offer further leisure, shopping and recreational facilities.
Little Braxted Mill is currently on the market via Savills with a guide price of £1.1 million — see more pictures or enquire with the agent for further details.
Credit: Strutt and Parker
Best country houses for sale this week
An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for
James Fisher is the Deputy Digital Editor of Country Life. He writes about property, travel, motoring and things that upset him. He lives in London
-
Character, history and comfort combine in a four-bedroom farmhouse in Norfolk
Willow Farm near Southburgh is that rarest of things — a perfect combination of period charm and modern elegance in some of England's best countryside.
By James Fisher Published
-
Churchill's birthplace, Monet's London home and more in the Country Life Quiz of the Day
Try your luck at Monday's quiz of the day.
By Toby Keel Published
-
Character, history and comfort combine in a four-bedroom farmhouse in Norfolk
Willow Farm near Southburgh is that rarest of things — a perfect combination of period charm and modern elegance in some of England's best countryside.
By James Fisher Published
-
Become a part of Bath's rich history in this Grade 1-listed Georgian townhouse
With 5,500sq ft set over six floors in the centre of Britain's most architecturally rich city, there is much to love here.
By James Fisher Published
-
17 delightful homes for sale, as seen in Country Life
Our round-up of some of the best houses to come to the market via Country Life this week includes a wonderful Cotswolds home and a happily affordable cottage in the West Country.
By Toby Keel Published
-
'This is the most money you'll spend on anything ever': The things that really matter when buying your first home in London
It’s easy to dream of what the ideal first-home in London might be, but when the cost of living in the capital is this expensive, being near a Gail's isn't as important as you think it is.
By James Fisher Published
-
Get lost in the whispers of a running stream at a one-bedroom Cornish cottage
Formerly the studio and retreat of renowned artist Lamorna Birch, this small home near Lamorna Cove is a delight in every single way.
By James Fisher Published
-
How the high street can change for the better
The high street might not be dying, but it's definitely changing and in some places, it's changing for the better. So, what can the centre of town in the 21st century look like?
By Lucy Denton Published
-
A 17th century country house estate for sale in Yorkshire that's not too big and not too small
Take a look inside one of the finest private houses in the north of England that's perfectly manageable as a family house.
By Annunciata Elwes Published
-
Two-thirds of us buy a house and immediately set about refurbishing it
We spend more buying our houses than on anything else in our lives — yet the first thing we do on moving in is set about changing the place. Annabel Dixon takes a look at what we do and why.
By Annabel Dixon Published