Mill Cottage in 1998.
Emmerdale Mill (known locally as Mill Cottage or The Mill) is a property in Emmerdale Village which is situated at the bottom of Main Street. It used to be the old mill house and was once the home of Jack Sugden in the 1970s. In 1986 and 1987 it was revamped by new owner Phil Pearce. The Mill has a colourful history in the village. It even was burned down in June 2016 by owner Rakesh Kotecha. Since its revamp it is now the home of a Sugden again, Robert Sugden, son of the late Jack.
It is the only house in the village built from coursed sandstone.
Mill History.
The old mill was built in the 1700s and was a watermill. It shut down in 1923 and lay empty and decaying for many years.
1972-1973
In 1972 when Jack Sugden returned to Beckindale after 8 years away he saw the old mill house near a stream and took an interest in it. He moved into it shortly afterwards despite just having inherited Emmerdale Farm and renovated a room upstairs so he could use as his living quarters. He wanted somewhere quiet to write his novels. One day in early 1973 he returned from a trip to London and found a tramp, known to locals as Trash, squatting there. Jack agreed to let Trash stay with him. Trash later found a watch by the stream that belonged to missing young woman Sharon Crossthwaite. He was suspected by the police as being behind her disappearance. Trash was scared of policemen and later jumped out of a window at the mill, breaking his neck. His body was found. Jack was distraught and paid for his funeral. After a few more months, Jack found that to renovate the mill would be too much and decided to leave Beckindale yet again in October 1973.
1974-1976
Mill Cottage in 1975 when it was the Old Mill. Joe, Henry and Matt are stood outside.
Beckindale schoolteacher James Bonfils took schoolchildren on a trip to the old mill and rumours spread that he had interest in buying the mill. This never came of anything though and the mill was demolished soon afterwards in 1975, being deemed unsafe. Cracks had appeared in the walls of the building. Jack Sugden returned briefly in April 1976 and was distraught to hear that his old home had been demolished.
1986-present
Mill Cottage in 1986, derelict and uninhabited for 13 years.
In 1986 the demolition of the Mill had been forgotten about and seeming had been rebuilt by 1986 when Jack Sugden showed an interest in it alongside builder Phil Pearce. Phil beat Joe Sugden at auction to buy the mill.
The mill had been unused for 12 years and needed a lot of work doing to it. Its name was revealed as being Colebrook Mill. Phil moved in and then his girlfriend Sandie Merrick moved in with him. In April 1987, Sandie got dodgy auctioneer Eric Pollard sacked and Eric terrorised Sandie. In February 1988, Sandie and Phil considered moving to Norfolk as she was offered a low paid job there. They stayed in Beckindale. In March 1988 Sandie was pregnant but soon miscarried. Phil's dodgy deals tested their relationship, especially when Phil tarted up an old Victorian chest to resemble a Georgian chest.
On 28th June 2016, Rakesh Kotecha causes a fire in Mill Cottage for insurance money; unaware that Nicola King was inside. Later, the Mill explosion. Dan Spencer and Ronnie Hale arrives at the scene and rescue Nicola. But Ronnie was knock unconscious when he went back, believing Rakesh and Priya was inside. Rakesh and Carly Hope went and rescue Ronnie.
Known residents over the years
- 1973 - Jack Sugden, Trash - The Tramp, David Rhys
- 1973-1986 Empty
- 1986 Being renovated by Phil Pearce
- 1987-1989 Phil Pearce, Sandie Merrick
- 1990 Chris Tate
- 2016-2017 Rakesh Kotecha
- 2017-Robert Sugden, Aaron Dingle, Liv Flaherty
Trivia
While the Mill was demolished in a storyline in 1975 when it was deemed unsafe, and one episode actually featured the rubble after the demolition, in 1986 this was retconned to suit a storyline where Jack showed interest in the old mill, which had laid derelict for 13 years. He referenced his time at the mill 14 years earlier.
Gallery
