The Trail to Grove Mill

Using a 1790 map we noticed footpaths and a footbridge leading to the possible site. A promising start. We deduced from a modern map the footbridge was likely to be near the Grove church and could be accessed from the modern day Grand Union Canal towpath. Once again our intrepid duo took out dowsers and set off to find the footpaths and bridge. Much to our amazment it was very simple and we crossed over the bridge. Following the energies from our dowsing rods we came to a raised area which looked like earthworks. Had there been a building here? We both felt very strongly that this area had been inhabited at some time. We noticed a small pond and Jackie had one of her psychic flashes of insight and had a strong feeling that these were ancient ponds and that had been used for fish farming, possibly for the priory. Our later research showed that there had been a Chapel of St. John of Grava 1227 on this site, which had possibly been part of the Grove Priory. The research also stated that the site and shape of fish ponds could still be seen when the stream was in flood. Well done Jackie. Amazing.

Subsequently, Sian was talking to her father-in-law who, as a boy knew this area really well, and called this raised area "The Haunted House" and he remembers a house being on that site. He also remembers the footbridge being called the One Plank Bridge. The haunting needs further investigation.

We hadn't found Grove Mill but we definitely were on the right track. We both were drawn to a beautiful big oak tree and our dowsers were showing us that we were in the correct area for the Mill. Standing by this oak tree we were in sight of Grove Church and our research told us the Mill was less than 400 yards from the church and 200 yards from the Priory. So we must have been pretty close.

Whilst we were standing there we noticed that not only could we see Grove Church, but also Billington Church, All Saints Church and Ivinghoe Beacon. The latter is well known as being on a ley-line and the start of the path to Avebury. We were overwhelmed with energies and we concluded we were standing at a conjunction of many ley-lines and would have been a perfect spot for the Priory.

On our way back to the car we passed the pond and lo and behold in it were three carp. Jackie couldn't believe her eyes - her prediction was correct. However it wasn't a proper pond but had been floodwater from the river. She went back a few days later as she was concerned that they had been trapped there but unfortunately the water had dried up and they were dead.