Singletons Mill

A site on the bank of the Hawkesbury at the mouth of Laybury’s Creek opposite Gunderman. In 1834 Mrs Felton Mathew mentioned that a water mill was under construction here. The mill was built for James and Benjamin Singleton. The disused mill was a familiar landmark at the end of the 19th century. The town of Singleton was named after Benjamin Singleton. James and Benjamin had established a flour mill on Wheeny Creek near Kurrajong and later applied for land on the Hawkesbury River to set up a tidal mill, prior to 1820. The mill did very well; by 1834 James had built a larger mill downstream on the southern side. The water-driven wheel was five metres in diameter, and the grinding stones weighed one ton each. Although demolished by the early 1900s, it was the subject of one of George Collingridge’s woodcuts.

Reference: pp28,29.

Located on Layburys Creek near Foul Weather Reach, flour mill built by James and Benjamin Singleton about 1832, was driven by tidal power, demolished before 1910.

Reference: Portions 15, 17