FIRE investigators are examining the cause of a blaze that threatened to destroy one of Maidstone’s most important historic buildings.

Flames ripped through the former mill manager’s house at the derelict Hayle Mill in Hayle Mill Road, Tovil, last night and might easily have engulfed the neighbouring timber-clad Grade ll* listed paper mill.

Only a swift assessment of the danger by Leading Firefighter Steve Milner, in charge of the first fire crew to arrive on the scene, averted the loss of the main mill building, which dates from 1810 and has a unique system of rotating louvres in its drying loft.

Crews from Maidstone, Lenham, Headcorn, Canterbury, Cranbrook and Medway battled the flames.

White Watch Commander Alan Stark said: “The flames were already through the roof and coming out the windows when we arrived, so the fire had obviously been going for some time.

“It was a very difficult job, but we managed to restrict most of the damage to the house, although there was some damage to a more modern warehouse building behind.”

The cause of the fire is present unknown. The mill was the last in Maidstone to make paper by hand, and did not close until 1987. Its famous Bockingford Paper was treasured by artists throughout the world.