This is a watercolour painting showing several rows of oxen pulling a wooden mill up the downs watched by several figures. St Nicholas Church is visible in the distance due east.
The mill known as West Mill was located at the western extremity of West Laine Cliffe Butts, approximately at the junction of Preston Street and Kings Road. The mill was owned by John Streeter. It was re-erected in the Parish of Preston to the east of Dyke Road. Millers Road just to the north is named after the mill which was known variously as Streeter's Mill, Preston Mill, Black Mill and latterly Trusler's Mill. Different sources suggest the mill was demolished in 1881 or 1885.
The note in the bottom left reads: 'This mill was drawn on the 28th March 1797 from Regency Square to ye Dyke Road, Brighton a distance of over two miles by 86 oxen which belonged to the following gentlemen: William Stanford Esq. of Preston, Mr Hodson' [others not legible]. This note is a later addition: Regency Square was constructed some years after the event between 1818 and 1828.
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