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Newsletter 140 Spring 2023 © Hampshire Mills Group |
Four Mills in Avon and Somerset
Keith Andrews |
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We visited Avon and Somerset twice in 2018, in
January and October. Here are some of the mills we
saw. |
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Tunbridge Mill, Chew Magna: This traditional
mill building on a Domesday site was still operating
in 1987 as an electrically-operated grist mill. Its
large undershot waterwheel was retained. At the
time of our visit it looked derelict; the mill and
outbuilding were being advertised for sale by
auction.
The notice said “Requires Complete Modernisation –
Development Potential”. We wonder what it looks
like now.
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Albert
Mill, Keynsham:
This ancient site, was used as a woollen mill in the
1770s, then later adapted to spinning cotton and
flax. It was rebuilt as a corn mill by 1836, and
then adapted for crushing lime and ochre. After a
fire in 1873 it changed to dyewood processing, the
chipping and grinding of imported woods which were
infused to make dye materials. When it closed in
1964 it was the last remaining works of this type
with its unique water-powered chipper and edge
runners, and its waterwheel being the only known
example of its type. This fine building is now
converted to private dwellings.
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Ashton Windmill:
A typical Somerset tower mill dating from about
1770. It is the only windmill in the county which
has a complete set of sails, stones, and machinery.
The cap is turned by hand. It stopped working 1927
and was extensively renovated by a Mr Clark in the
1950s. It is now owned by Sedgemoor District
Council and is open on Sundays in summer. |
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Stembridge Windmill:
A 26ft high stone tower of about 1822: it retains
enough of its machinery to see how it worked. It is
the only windmill in the country to retain a
thatched cap. Now owned by the National Trust, at
the time of our visit it was closed awaiting
renovation. The NT website suggests it is now open
again and has all its sails.
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Information from
Guide to the Industrial Heritage of Avon,
AIA 1987 and
Somerset’s Industrial Heritage,
SIAS 1996.
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