Wellesbourne Watermill Explained

Type:Watermill
Coordinates:52.1873°N -1.5855°W
Gbgridref:SP 28437 54414
Location:Kineton Road, Wellesbourne
Area:Warwickshire
Built:1834
Owner:Walton Estate
Designation1:Grade II
Designation1 Offname:Wellesbourne Mill and Mill House
Designation1 Date:20 April 1988

Wellesbourne Watermill is a fine historic flour mill near Wellesbourne, Warwickshire, England on a domesday site. Situated on the River Dene, the mill is a Grade II listed building and is described as "A very complete example of a mill and mill house".

History

Formerly known as Byford Mill, it was rebuilt in 1834. It ran commercially until 1958, latterly using a belt drive from a traction engine, the wheel last being used in 1939.[1] The mill office door carries a date 1785 which formerly belonged to a post mill which stood in the adjacent field. The mill house is 18th century, thus considerably older than the present mill building.

In 1988 the watermill was restored to working order by the Hamilton family, predominantly Sir Andrew Hamilton, with millwright David Nicholls and the Chiltern Partnership, and is still owned by the Walton Estate. It is not currently open to the public. The adjacent mill house is now a private dwelling.

Machinery

The internal wheel is breastshot and is unusual in that it carries three sets of clasp arms around the timber axle. It measures diameter and wide. An iron pit wheel is driven off the wheel axle and meshes with an iron wallower of 3feet. The spur wheel measures 7feet and drives two stone nuts of 18inches diameter.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Information for record number MWA1136: Wellesbourne Mill . Warwickshire County Council . 12 September 2018.