LOCATED only a short walk from Halstead’s High Street lies an incredible antiques business located in an old mill.

The Halstead Antiques Centre, in The Causeway, is a business that sells a vast collection of decorative antiques, collectibles and trinkets, whilst being the base of operations for 65 different antique dealers.

Remarkably the business is situated inside the Townsford Mill which was built over the River Colne in 1788 as a cornmill.

In 1825, the Courtauld family converted the building into a silk mill and its production continued until 1982.

Halstead Gazette: Location - The Townsford MillLocation - The Townsford Mill (Image: Newsquest)

Halstead Gazette: Interesting - heading onto the first floor of the centreInteresting - heading onto the first floor of the centre (Image: Newsquest)

Halstead Gazette: Goods - collectibles available to purchase at the centreGoods - collectibles available to purchase at the centre (Image: Newsquest)

From that point onwards, the mill has been home to The Halstead Antiques Centre, which is named Tripadvisor’s best attraction to visit in the town.

Vicky Bradford, of Halstead, is a supervisor and antique dealer at the centre.

She has been part of the business for nine years and absolutely loves it.

Vicky said: “You’re always learning, and you never know who is coming through the door.

“We have regular customers, but you never know who will turn up, we have dealers from Japan, London, and visitors from the general public all the time.

Halstead Gazette: Worker - Vicky Bradford next to her cabinet of antiques for saleWorker - Vicky Bradford next to her cabinet of antiques for sale (Image: Newsquest)

Halstead Gazette: Goods - a closer look at Vicky's antiquesGoods - a closer look at Vicky's antiques (Image: Newsquest)

Halstead Gazette: Music - Vinyl for saleMusic - Vinyl for sale (Image: Halstead Antiques Centre)

“But some people in Halstead don't know we are even here, yet there is something for everybody.

“It’s not just antiques, it’s new and old collectibles, and prices range from 50p to roughly £200.”

John de Bruyne purchased the Townsford Mill in 2017 and initially proposed to convert the whole site into a hotel, but he reconsidered, and the centre’s future was secured.

Thankfully, the centre is still standing strong, it has two-floors filled with the most curious and beautiful antiques.

Halstead Gazette: Treasure trove - A section of the centre's second floorTreasure trove - A section of the centre's second floor (Image: Newsquest)

Halstead Gazette: Modern - one of the stylishly set out antique dealer's areas where everything is for sale Modern - one of the stylishly set out antique dealer's areas where everything is for sale (Image: Newsquest)

Halstead Gazette: shop - Anita's Vintage, one of the many dealers at the centreshop - Anita's Vintage, one of the many dealers at the centre (Image: Newsquest)

If a customer wants decorative pieces, vintage clothes, old toys, jewellery gorgeous paintings, cutlery, old-school vintage records, you name it, and the centre most likely has it.

There are five members of staff who run the antiques centre including Vicky and her colleague Harley.

Throughout the week, the dealers will normally pop in to restock, and many tv shows have filmed at the centre over the years.

In 2019, the television crews from BBC programme Antiques Road Trip filmed at the shop for the fifth time.

The Halstead Antiques Centre attracts around 40,000 customers a year and is open Monday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm, and Sundays until 4pm.