Back to my holiday journal:
Wales: Nestled in the centre of St Dogmael's, beside its mill pond, is Y Felin, one of the last working water mills in Wales producing traditional stoneground flour. Probably originally built in the 12th century by monks from the nearby abbey, its history is documented from the 1640s. It was a working mill until the 1920s, when the miller, Evan Gwynne, died. After that it lay closed up and unused, until it was bought in 1977 by Michael and Jane Hall, who set about restoring it, including the laborious work of digging out the mill pond and sluice. Inside, it still has the machinery that was installed in 1820, restored by Mr Hall and now in full working order again.
The pond is fed by a stream coming down off the hill behind. Water then runs through a sluice gate to power the water wheel that, by a series of interconnected cog wheels and shafts, drives the mill machinery.
Even the door is ancient, marked with signs that have been authenticated to the 15th century.
The mill not only sells bread and flour but second-hand books too!
Come back tomorrow and I'll show you round... We had a tour.
Do they live there too, Jenny?
ReplyDeleteI recently visited a freshly renovated flour mill mounted on a large wooden raft floating on the River Weser. The large water wheel is driven by the fast flowing current of the river. Farmers bring their produce to be ground and take away the flour in sacks. Depending on the coarse/ fineness required different mill stones can be fitted.The large wooden driving cogs are similar to those shown in your photos above. Lovely!
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