Economics, politics, and custom at the country mill: Bovey Tracey, Devon, 1599–1732

Abstract Grain mills were central to early modern communities. Yet, we know little about their economic and political roles due to a lack of source material. Before the eighteenth century, mills were not directly implicated in the wider politics of grain marketing and provisioning. When mills became integrated into the wholesale market, they were rarely the object of riot or abuse during subsistence crises. This article argues, through a case study of mills in Bovey Tracey, Devon, that litigation, particularly Court of Exchequer records, can reveal significant information about the operation and business of early modern mills. Of particular significance are disputes over the monopolistic custom of the ‘suit of mill’, which illuminate the politics that governed much of the industry and offer new insights into social and economic relations surrounding the purchase and processing of grain. Such insights further question the timeline and development of free market views in grain provisioning.