Wellesbourne Watermill

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".[1]

Wellesbourne Watermill
TypeWatermill
LocationKineton Road, Wellesbourne
Coordinates52°11′14″N 1°35′08″W / 52.1873°N 1.5855°W / 52.1873; -1.5855
OS grid referenceSP 28437 54414
AreaWarwickshire
Built1834
OwnerWalton Estate
Listed Building – Grade II
Official nameWellesbourne Mill and Mill House
Designated20 April 1988
Reference no.1382030
Wellesbourne Watermill is located in Warwickshire
Wellesbourne Watermill
Location of Wellesbourne Watermill in Warwickshire

History

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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.[2] 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.[1]

In 1988 the watermill was restored to working order[2] 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

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The internal wheel is breastshot and is unusual in that it carries three sets of clasp arms around the timber axle. It measures 17 ft (5.2 m) diameter and 6 ft (1.8 m) wide. An 8 ft (2.4 m) iron pit wheel is driven off the wheel axle and meshes with an iron wallower of 3 ft 2 in (0.97 m). The spur wheel measures 7 ft 4 in (2.24 m) and drives two stone nuts of 18 in (46 cm) diameter.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Historic England. "WELLESBOURNE MILL AND MILL HOUSE (1382030)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 12 September 2018.
  2. ^ a b "Information for record number MWA1136: Wellesbourne Mill". Warwickshire County Council. Retrieved 12 September 2018.