Gypsum grinding mill. Late C19, with C20 alterations. Red brick, with blue and buff brick decorative elements. C20 corrugated sheet roof covering. Built as part of Hawton Gypsum Works. 2 storey, linear mill, formerly with ancillary attached structures to east and west (now removed). East Elevation: ground floor with 10 semi-circular arched openings, some now blocked. First floor with 6 semi-circular arched window openings, the heads enhanced by multi-coloured brickwork. Cast iron window frames with glazing bars. Stubs of former attached range protrude from comers. West Elevation: similar arcading to lower floor, mostly blocked, and with altered and inserted openings at north-east end. Raised section of roof to centre of roof slope. Interior: near complete gypsum milling plant, together with primary and secondary drive mechanisms, formerly steam powered, latterly driven by electricity. Ground floor with twin doubles arcades of fluted cast iron columns supports millstone floor above. Between the columns of each twin arcade run the primary horizontal drive shafts for each side of the mill. Bevel gearing transferred the drive horizontally to 8 sets of grinding stones on either side, arranged in pairs and encased in timber drums. A roof level hopper delivered the gypsum to the stones, and ground gypsum was transferred to bagging areas by means of continuous vertical bucket lifts set between or adjacent to the stones, on the outer sides of the arcades. Timber chutes delivered the gypsum powder to the bucket lifts. At the foot of each lift, cast iron plates bear the inscription 'WAKES AND LAMB ENGINEERS AND MILLWRIGHTS NEWARK'. Central part of upper floor carries the millstones, with other areas housing access stairs, and ancillary processing machinery. Metal gantry and stairs to upper part of roof space gives access to hopper system and encased secondary line shafting. King-post roof trusses carry double purlins. History: Hawton Works was established with the opening of the nearby Beacon Hill Quarry in 1881. It was linked by tramway to the quarry, and to a wharf on the river Trent. The site was operational until 1993. Although now an isolated component of a larger complex, the grinding mill represents a significant aspect of the gypsum plaster manufacturing process, with the near complete milling machinery, now an exceptionally rare survival, clearly demonstrating the scale and methods of gypsum production in one of the main centres of the industry. (NCC/js)