The River & Mill Pond

The sound of rushing water draws the visitor to the weir and footbridge across the river Lark. This was formerly one of 23 locks enabling barges to bring mainly coal from the North Sea up to Bury St Edmunds and to take corn back. The Lark ceased to be navigable in 1900.

When Bernard Tickner bought the property in 1958 the Mill Pond had disappeared under a tangle of fallen trees, brambles and nettles.  Its southern bank had been washed away by the Culford Stream and it was impossible to recognise it as a pond.  Much work has been done since then and now the area is planted with massed Primula, Darmera and the skunk cabbage Lysichiton along with other moisture loving plants. Over the years there were many fulling mills between the river and the pond. Each mill had a water wheel which powered a set of mallets, these were used to pound locally woven cloth, to make it more full and thicker.  After fulling it was put out to dry on a flat tentering ground where it was secured with tenter hooks to stop it shrinking as it dried.