Treasure at the Mill (Children’s Film Foundation)

John Adams (Richard Palmer) sets off from the island in the middle of a mill pond where he has constructed a hide. The mill pond at Spring Valley Mill on Spring Valley Lane, Ardleigh in Essex.

After feeding the swans, the fourteen year old looks towards the mill which his family owned at the time of the Civil War. Looking across western end of the mill pond towards Spring Valley Mill.

John climbs a stile on the journey back to town. The disguised parish name on the Essex County Council signpost is Boxted and Straight Road, at the other end of this path, runs between Boxted and Colchester.

Looking through the hedgerow at the vacant Clover Cottage, John thinks how wonderful it would be to live there.

Wondering how on earth he could get enough money to buy the cottage, John continues on his way home for dinner.

John makes his way to the bookshop where he and his Mother live with the owner, Mr. Wilson. Facing west from Brook Street along High Street in Dedham, Essex with the tower of St. Mary’s church rising above the War Memorial on Royal Square to the left.

A comparison view of the street from Jon Wennington.

Arriving at the bookshop where Mrs. Adams is employed as a cleaner, John enters to find his Mum the kitchen. The 16th century, Grade II* listed Shakespeare House on High Street in Dedham, near Mannigtree.

Jon Wennington's shot shows a little less care being taken as to how the property appears now.

After his Mother shows him a parchment, John learns from old books in the shop that there may be buried treasure at the mill before making his way back to the empty property to begin his search.

Stumbling upon John’s discovery, Mr. Wilson makes his way to the Estate Agent charged with selling the mill. The sign and business are both genuine.

Mr. Wilson (John Ruddock) enters the office to find that the mill has been sold. The ornate frontage of 23 High Street in Colchester, Essex which has long since been demolished and was replaced with a nondescript block.

A pantechnicon makes its way towards Spring Valley Mill on Spring Valley Lane in Ardleigh.

The dilapidated mill now, taken from a similar position by Steve Randall.

Harry (Harry A. Pettit), his Wife (Grace Pettit) and son Harry Junior (Harry Pettit) enter their new home. Spring Valley Mill House on Spring Valley Lane, Ardleigh in Essex.

When the new owners’ children start to explore the mill, John makes his escape from the hoist loft. The lucom of the 18th century, Grade II listed Spring Valley Mill.

Restoration work seems to be underway in Steve Randall's shot.

While her father and brother are busy laying stair carpet, Hilary feeds the swans on the mill pond. Facing the dam wall of the mill pond at Spring Valley Mill.

Hilary runs to the shed at the back of the house where she feeds her guinea pigs.

With the intention of renting the old mill, Mr. Wilson approaches the newly occupied house. Spring Valley Mill on Spring Valley Lane, Ardleigh has been disused since the 1930s and is presently on a Buildings at Risk register.

Steve Randall provides this comparison.

Mr. Wilson opens the gate before the family dog runs towards him. Having leaking roofs with some of the weatherboarding missing and that the building is splitting apart with the front wall bulging, the structure, along with the machinery inside, is at serious risk.

Athol Heys provides this comparison view of the location.

Harry, Hilary (Hilary Pettit) and Merrilyn (Merrilyn Pettit) peer around the corner of the house as their Father speaks with the bookseller. Along with their parents, the three children who lived at Spring Valley Mill appeared in the film playing themselves.

Harry tells Mr. Wilson that he wants to use the mill as a studio before Mr. Wilson leaves. Freelance artist and naturalist Harry Pettit illustrated a book of the story which was published by Newnes in 1957 and reprinted by Armada in 1964 and RHG Books in 2006 (ISBN 978-0-9549069-2-4).

Locking John in the bookshop's store room, Mr. Wilson returns to the mill after finding a clue to the treasures whereabouts. The bridge carries Spring Valley Lane over the Great Eastern Main Line running between Colchester and Manningtree while the roof tops of Hillside Cottage and Broad View on Colchester Road are visible in the background.

After John meets and makes friends with the children at the mill, Merrilyn and Hillary ride into town looking for him. High Street, Dedham with The Sun Hotel to the centre.

High Street now captured by Jon Wennington.

Escaping from the store, John runs towards the two girls as they prepare to leave and tells them that Mr. Wilson may have returned to the mill. With a changed camera angle, this is looking along High Street towards Brook Street, Royal Square and The Marlborough Head public house at the corner of Mill Lane in Dedham, Essex.

Jon Wennington pointed his camera in the same direction.

Hillary runs to Slough Farm to find her parents.

Harry, his Wife and Hillary get into the car and head back home. This is Slough Farm on Slough Lane in Ardleigh, Essex.

In the mill’s tail race culvert, the greedy Mr. Wilson is cornered by John just after he finds the hidden treasure. The tunnel runs from beneath Spring Valley Mill and was used to carry water away to join Salary Brook on the other side of Spring Valley Road.

Using the proceeds from the treasure to purchase Clover Cottage, Mrs. Adams (Hilda Fenemore) and her son Adam walk through the garden of their new home.

The children from Spring Valley Mill wave as they ride past Clover Cottage.