Dunster Working Watermill

Dunster Working Watermill (also known as Castle Mill) is a restored 18th century watermill, situated on the River Avill, close to Gallox Bridge, in the grounds of Dunster Castle in Dunster, Somerset, England. It is a Grade II* listed building[1] and within the Grade II* registered parkland of the castle.[2]

Dunster Working Watermill
Waterwheel
Dunster Working Watermill is located in Somerset
Dunster Working Watermill
Location within Somerset
General information
Town or cityDunster
CountryEngland
Coordinates51.18030°N 3.4449°W / 51.18030; -3.4449
Construction started1779
Completed1782

The mill stands on a site where a mill was first recorded in the Domesday Book, but the present building was constructed around 1780. It closed in 1962 but was restored in 1979 and is still used to grind flour. The equipment is powered by two overshot wheels. It is owned and run by the National Trust.

History

At the time of the Domesday Book in 1086 there were two mills in Dunster. One which was called the Lower Mill was on the site of the present mill. In the 17th century there were both malt and oats mills but by 1721 one of these had been converted to a fulling mill.[3] The present mill, which was built around 1780 and replaced the two former mills.[4] In 1940 a bakery was added.[3] The mill ground corn until World War II and then animal feed until it closed in 1962.[5]

It was restored to working order in 1979,[6] winning a conservation award in 1982.[5] The mill still produces Wheat, Rye and Spelt flour from organic grain.[7] A cafe was opened in the buildings which used to be the wagon house and stables.[3] Further restoration work, completed in 2007, was funded by the Exmoor Sustainable Development Fund.[6][8]

It is owned by the National Trust and can be visited by National Trust members for free or by non-members buying an entry ticket.[9] The site is visited by around 60,000 tourists a year and produces around 10 tonnes of flour each year.[6][10] The second (Lower) waterwheel was replaced in 2015 and the associated machinery was refurbished and repaired in 2016. The millstones connected to the new (Lower) wheel were dressed in 2023.[11]

Architecture and machinery
The pit wheel and spur wheel along with flour transporter and flour sieve.

The three-storey building has a slate roof. To the south east a stone wall contains wrought iron gates in an arched gateway.[1]

The milling equipment is powered by a pair of overshot waterwheels,[12][13][14] which transfer power to associated (internal) pit wheel, spur wheel and stone nut. This then drives the millstones. There are trapdoors on the first and second floors to allow grain to be hoisted up the building via the sack hoist.[15]

See also

References
  1. Historic England. "Castle Mill and attached gateway and gates (1173447)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  2. "DUNSTER CASTLE, Carhampton - 1000467 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  3. "Dunster: Economic History" (PDF). Victoria County Histories. pp. 27–31. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
  4. "Dunster Working Watermill". National Trust. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
  5. "Dunster Conservation Area Character Appraisal" (PDF). Exmoor National Park Authority. p. 20. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
  6. "Dunster Working Water Mill". Everything Exmoor. Archived from the original on 12 September 2014. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  7. "Dunster Water Mill". Dunster Water Mill. Archived from the original on 23 August 2011. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
  8. Alder, Chris (21 August 2007). "Dunster's water mill gets a facelift". Somerset County Gazette. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  9. "Dunster Working Watermill". National Trust. Archived from the original on 25 December 2013. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
  10. "Dunster Water Mill". Windmills UK. Archived from the original on 16 April 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  11. "Rare 18th Century two-wheeled waterwheel restored in Somerset". BBC. Archived from the original on 21 July 2015. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  12. "Castle Mill and attached gateway and gates, Dunster". Exmoor Historic Environment Record. Exmoor National Park. Archived from the original on 4 December 2014. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
  13. "Dunster Castle Mill". Pastscape. English Heritage. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
  14. "Maintenance Works, Dunster Watermill". Dorothea Restorations. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  15. Fishar, John. "Dunster" (PDF). Dartmoor National Park. Exmoor National Park Authority. p. 20. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 25 January 2015.

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