HEREFORDSHIRE may not have had many windmills, but a surprising number of watermills remain, usually set in the most beautiful scenery.
The ancient millstones, gearing and other machinery remains at some, and in the case of Court of Noke Mill, near Staunton on Arrow, the waterwheels still turn.
To celebrate Britain's rich heritage of old windmills and watermills, National Mills Weekend is taking place this Saturday and Sunday (May 13/14) where many mills will be open to the public on at least one of the days, including 10 in Herefordshire.
Clodock Mill, near Longtown - Saturday and Sunday 2pm to 5pm
Donations to air ambulance. Parking and light refreshments available. Entrance by bridge over the River Monnow near Clodock Church. A corn mill in a lovely situation with two pairs of stones. Nearby is a separate turbine, formerly generating electricity. The waterwheel shaft is currently undergoing replacement. If completed in time, the mill will be grinding during the weekend.
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Fair Oak Farm, Bacton - Saturday 2pm to 6pm
Donations to the Laurie Engel Fund for Teenage Cancer Trust. From Bacton church continue uphill for about a mile. At the T-junction the drive to the farm is straight ahead. Parking available. A traditional 17th-century horse-drawn cider mill and press fully restored, still in its original setting. After a gap of a hundred years, the mill is again worked by a horse – the only one now operating commercially in the UK. Fair Oak cider will be available for tasting and purchase, and you can meet Featherstone, the apprentice mill horse.
Olchon House Farm Mill, Llanveynoe, near. Longtown - Saturday 11am to 4pm
Donations to Llanveynoe Church. Parking available. This mill was recently restored to working order. There is a large iron waterwheel with an unusual rim gear, used for milling animal feed and driving farm machinery. Hopefully it will be grinding corn.
Pontynys Mill, Longtown - Saturday 10am to 4pm
Donations. Limited parking. Drive 400 yards north of the Crown Inn, Longtown, entrance is on the left immediately after the turn to Ewyas Harold. Extra parking on the road near the bridge. A complete corn mill with large high-breast waterwheel under restoration and an unusual horiziontal shaft driving four pairs of stones.
Court of Noke Mill, nr. Staunton on Arrow - Saturday & Sunday 10am to 4pm
Entry free, contributions to the Rivers Trust would be welcome. Water gardens fed the waterwheel, now restored, which ground corn for prize Hereford cattle. The 19th century low breast-shot waterwheel and complex iron gear drove barn machinery and a pair of millstones. The waterwheel will be turning.
Mordiford Mill - Saturday & Sunday 10am to 4pm
Free entry. Donations welcome (to restoration). Parking at rear. Do not park in yard in front of mill. Access is off B4224, 100 yards south of the mill, on south side of Mordiford village. A tall stone corn mill on a steep site. The large overshot waterwheel drove iron machinery and two pairs of stones. Being restored to working condition. Waterwheel should be working and possibly grinding.
Rowlestone Mill, near Ewyas Harold - Saturday & Sunday 10am to 6pm
Donations. Parking at village hall (by church) or in field near mill (weather permitting). A dramatic leat to mill from waterfall. Refreshments available. The external overshot waterwheel will be turning and driving a Victorian apple scratter (the alternative to the horseworked cider mill).
The Corn Mill, Michaelchurch Escley - Sunday 12pm to 5pm
Like Clodock, this was one of the early medieval mills of Ewyas Lacy and was still working in 1942. There is some machinery in place and the internal overshot wheel will be turning if there is enough water. The garden will be open with a walk along the leet and riverside.
Waterworks Museum, Hereford - Sunday 11am to 4pm
Entry £9, seniors £8, under 16s free, students £2.50. Parking and café available. South side of Broomy Hill, on west side of Hereford. Follow brown signs from Barton Road, off north end of Greyfriars Bridge. Water pumping station. Exhibits include 1920s wind-pump from Bridge Sollars, 1890 turbine-driven pump from Warwickshire, 1907 waterwheel from Carmarthenshire, tiny 1912 Pelton wheel from Ross, 1880 turbine from Dorset, 1937 turbine from Kington and Heritage Water Park for children, with small waterwheel driving dynamo. Some steam engines, water wheels and pumps will be working.
The Clover Mill Spa Retreat, Cradley (Archer’s Mill/Beanhouse Mill) - Saturday & Sunday 10am to 4pm
Free entry. Parking, refreshments and cakes available. Take the northward turning of the A4103 (Hereford-Worcester road), half a mile east of Stony Cross. After half a mile, bear left, cross the stream, and turn left again along a track to the mill with a ‘Clover Mill’ sign. Late 19th century corn mill, complete with waterwheel and three pairs of stones. Older generation of mill alongside is now a house. Impressive building with machinery and turning waterwheel (water level permitting.)
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