Historic Timeline
John Dickinson developed many new processes for making paper and other paper products on this site. The special silk thread paper used for the Universal Penny Post (introduced in 1840) was produced here. Subsequently some of the earliest envelopes, then called ‘Pockets’, were made here.
The small hamlet developed around the mill to create a vibrant community, eventually Dickinson’s nearby mill at Apsley, began to make these Stationery products. This provided more room to expand.
1956
Modernisation
1966
Dickenson Robinson Group
John Dickinson and Co. Ltd. Merged with ES & A Robinson of Bristol to become the Dickinson Robinson Group (DRG).
2006
SAPPI
SAPPI ceased production.
Major modernisation began with the construction of a huge new machine house. This was followed a few years later by a modern warehouse on the former parkland.
1086
Naysshemyle
Nash Mill had been a
water-powered corn mill since
before the Domesday survey of 1086. In medieval documents it was called Naysshemyle.
1624
Sir James Fullerton
1769
Sir James Fullerton bought ‘Nashe’ Mill for £550, when John Davidson was the miller.
Zacharia House
1790
Griffith Jones
The House thought to have been built by Griffith Jones. Jones’s business partner was Anne Blackwell, widow of an earlier papermaker here.
It is believed that he may have
financed the re-building of the mill to a high standard.
1809
John Dickinson
John Dickinson bought Apsley Mill ½ mile (0.8 km) upstream.
1811
Fire
1817
Injunction
John Dickinson won an injunction against the Grand Junction Canal Company causing them to re-route the canal to its present course close to Dickinson’s Apsley and Nash Mills. Previously this had run on the opposite side of Belswains Lane
John Dickinson bought Nash Mill much of which was destroyed by a fire in 1813. He lived in Nash Mill House
1856
1836
Abbots Hill
John Dickinson built Abbots Hill as his residence. Following this Nash Mill House occupied by his
partner Charles Longman until he built Shendish House in 1856
John Evans
John Evans family moved into Nash Mill House
1906
John Dickinson & Co. Ltd,
John Evans moved to Berkhamsted, the house then became offices for John Dickinson & Co. Ltd.
1990
Buy-Out of DRG
Nash Mill sold to SAPPI (South African Pulp and Paper
Industries.) following an
aggressive buy-out of DRG.
2016
Site sold to Nash House Development Ltd
Paper was produced at the Mill as early as 1769 by Zacharia House.
1886
John Dickinson & Co. Ltd,
John Dickinson bought Nash Mill much of which was destroyed by a fire in 1813. He lived in Nash Mill House
2007
Site sold to Crest Nicholson
The site sold for £25,000,000 to Linden Homes & Crest Nicholson .Crest Nicholson were granted
planning permission for 450 dwellings in 2009.
In 2014 Crest Nicholson entered into a joint-venture with an independent construction company. Within 18 months the Construction company had stripped the building to less then 5% of its historic fabric. Before filing for bankruptcy.
The site was then shut down by Crest Nicholson
After seeing the House in such disrepair, it was purchased by Nash House Development Ltd, owned by a local businessman.
2020
Redevelopment
In 2019 the redevelopment of the site began, with the completion of Nash House in 2020 (CGI Interpretation of the final development below.)
