Water mills, wild flowers and life in Loose valley (28/6)

Walk along the Loose Valley from Tovil to Loose village
Despite it's close proximity to the busy town of Maidstone, the Loose Valley, with its peaceful water meadows & old water mills is a world away. It extends about 5 miles from its source in the village of Langley to its mouth where the stream flows into the R. Medway at Tovil. Most of the valley is managed as a conservation area. During previous centuries  this place was a hive of activity with some 13 water mills dotted along the water course. The fast-flowing spring-fed stream offered a cheap & reliable power source & a plentiful supply of clean water which was ideal for  processes such as the fulling of woollen cloth (a cleaning & conditioning process), papermaking, & corn-grinding.

Upper Crisbrook Mill, Tovil dates from the 18th C. but there has been a mill on this site from at least the 16th C. Fulling was the main activity here although in later years it converted to corn-grinding and when it ceased commercial activities in the 1960's it was being used to prepare rags for nearby Hayle Mill. The water wheel (seen on the right in the photograph) has been refurbished by the current owners & is now used solely to generate electricity for the house.

The old mill ponds attract many species of bird including kingfisher, water-rail, little grebe, tufted duck, grey heron & little egret. Brown trout &  grey wagtail can sometimes be found along sections of the fast-flowing stream situated between the mill ponds. Sadly, brown trout numbers have been greatly depleted in recent years because of illegal fishing.

The water meadows are full of wild flowers including St.John's wort.....

knapweed....

and meadow vetchling.

There are many beautiful old houses including the 16th C. Tyler's.....

and Hart's House (also 16th C).

This yew tree in Loose churchyard is estimated to be at least 1500 years old. It's not quite the oldest in Kent as there is one in Ulcombe churchyard, some 5 miles to the east, which is thought to be over 2000 years old.

The Loose Stream runs either side of the picturesque causeway at the bottom of Brook's Field on the edge of the village.