Mill Funding

City Mill, Winchester, by Martin Gregory

During 2017, City Mill has been raising funds for work on the structure of the east end of the mill;  that part between the working section of the mill and the exit onto Water Lane.  The flooding in 2012-13 highlighted structural problems with this part of the mill and, at present, the ground floor is a forest of Acrow props supporting the floor above.  Sufficient funds have been raised for National Trust, the owners of the mill, to start structural work in early 2018.

Although the part of the building containing the milling machinery is not affected by the work it is likely that the mill will be closed to the public whilst the work is carried out.  The mill shop will remain open.

Charlecote Mill, Warwickshire, by Sheila Viner

“Charlecote Mill needs your support!  Charlecote Mill is not a museum occasionally grinding flour as many water and windmills now are;  it is a piece of living working history and one of only a small handful of surviving commercial working watermills in the UK”  says Karl Grevatt, the young and enthusiastic miller of the grade 2 star listed Charlecote Mill. 

Warwickshire has one working water mill, commercially operating with a unique established customer base.  However, it is under threat from a scheme to alter the river for navigation in terms of leisure activities.  The threat is that the river levels could be raised by as much as 2 feet which would make the two undershot waterwheels inoperable.  Stratford-upon-Avon District Council have resurrected previously failed plans to make the River Avon navigable from its highest point (near the mill) all the way to Warwick in the hopes that a further healthy revenue will be made from this additional form of tourism which would change the countryside for ever .

Karl has sprung into action to save his beloved "Millie", and his livelihood, by alerting those of us on the Facebook programme "Watermill Hoppers", which has resulted in local newspapers and the regional television stations taking up the story.  ITV Midland visited the mill and carried a brief report.  No news is bad news, so they say, for this resulted in increased numbers of visitors on open days and a lot of support for his cause, plus of course increasing flour sales.  Various local groups and councillors, for and against these revived navigation plans, have invited Karl to explain his situation and how he sees the scheme affecting the land and the mill around him.

Peter Mobbs, John Mears, and I enjoyed visiting Charlecote Mill on 8 October, the last open day of 2017, to gain an understanding of the water system fed from the Avon to the mill.  Despite arriving early we certainly were not the first as some 20 or so people were already flocking to the frontage.  A further 133 people arrived after lunch time to learn how the mill worked and what the navigation scheme would mean.

They learnt about the different types of flour produced which supply the keen bread and chapati makers who maintain Karl's livelihood.

If you wish to add your support to keep this water-driven business thriving and counter the threat please go to www.charlecotemill.co.uk and select the "Protect Charlecote Mill" option. 

Or you can write to Karl Grevatt at Charlecote Mill, Charlecote Road, Hampton Lucy, Warwick CV35 8BB.