Visiting the Winchester Mill

Sir Winston Churchill once said in one of this famous quotes that the further one looks backwards into history, the further into the future you can see. I wonder what he would have made with the modern worlds shift towards renewable energy and how things such as wind turbines and sea barrages are really just a modern version of windmills and watermills.

Of course in the U.K. there is an ample mix of both old and new when it comes to most things and renewable energy is no different. One of the little gems in Winchester is the old city mill.

The mill was recorded, milling corn, in the Domesday Book of 1086. However, there are earlier references going back to 932 in the cathedral records. In 989 Queen Elfrida had passed the mill to the nuns of Wherwell Abbey. Modern Dendochronological measurements date some of the timbers in the mill to the 11th Century.

It was originally known as Eastgate Mill until 1554 when it was given to the city by Queen Mary in recompense for the expense caused by her marriage to Philip I of Spain. The mill was last rebuilt in 1744 by James Cook, a tanner. In 1820 mill was sold to John Benham whose family continued to operate the mill until the early 1900s.

The mill was used as a laundry during World War I. In 1928 it was offered for sale. In order to prevent its demolition, a group of benefactors bought the mill and presented it to the National Trust. In 1931 the mill was leased to the Youth Hostels Association and was used as a hostel until 2005.

In 2004, a 12-year restoration program came to a successful conclusion, and after a hiatus of at least 90 years the mill again milled flour by water power. The water wheel can be seen working daily throughout the year and flour milling is demonstrated every weekend of the year, and most Wednesdays during the Summer. The mill building also houses a National Trust cafe and shop.

Standing inside the mill and watching the waters flow through the narrow gap was captivating and you could really feel the power of the river. The mill was just closing when I was there so the wheel wasn’t actually moving but it’s ok, I’ve seen them before!