Whitwell to Kimpton Mill
From Whitwell, the Mimram and the road to Codicote run almost in parallel to the former Pan Mill where a mill pond remains. Then it crosses beneath the road into the Hoo estate where you would expect it to pass under this fine bridge. It doesn’t. With its waters looking dark in the shade of black poplars, it flows almost unnoticed beneath the lane leading to the site of the long-demolished mansion. With the water features on either side now empty, the listed bridge appears a folly.
The road takes a sharp turn uphill to Codicote while the river is doggedly tracked by a lane leading past Rye End where a pair of whitewashed cottages mark the site of another mill. Across a bridge is the gorgeous and ancient Rye End Farm with views along the valley towards Kimpton Mill.
The water cress farm at Kimpton Mill is sadly dilapidated. It served as a seed bed for the farm at Nine Wells but since that ceased operating this one has fallen into disuse. The adjacent mill house is rather grand and is surrounded by water (though on the side where the water wheel operated, the flow is part culverted. Again, the extent to which the Mimram has been bent to human needs over the centuries is apparent. The river flows into a very large mill pond. A seasonal stream originating up the hill towards Kimpton comes down to join the Mimram but its pure water has been diverted through the water cress beds to the north of the mill. As Rook explains, there are four water courses around the mill. They are brought together beyond a meadow.
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