Nether Alderley Mill has reopened to the public following a four year restoration project.
The 15th century mill, which came to the end of its working life in 1939, was built on the site of an original mill of around 1290. Since 2008 it has been closed for crucial restoration work to its unique grit-stone roof.
Nicola Scattergood, Project Assistant at the National Trust, explained "Over the years the great weight of the locally-sourced roof, around 300 tons, had warped its timber frame, causing it to sink and become potentially unsafe. To carry out the restoration work we needed to employ specialist trades people with skills appropriate to the age of the building; stonemasons, millwrights, carpenters and joiners.
"Behind a giant tent of plastic sheets and scaffold poles we carefully removed the entire roof. We wanted to reuse as many of the original slates as possible so they were carefully numbered as each one was removed. Next, every single roof beam was painstakingly assessed to work out where repairs were needed and, if necessary, replacements were to be put in. Finally each roof tile, fitted with a new hand carved oak peg was returned to its original location."
Nicola added "While the roof was off we restored all the internal machinery; a team of millwrights from Norfolk Millwright Alliance replaced the buckets, axles and spokes on the waterwheels, the teeth on the gear wheels and refurbished the millstones and the mechanism around it so that we can once again mill grain. The millwrights also restored the water system, repairing the sluice gate and pentrough."
The mill can produce flour, although it is not currently fit for human consumption it is a future aspiration for the team to sell the flour they make and now that the mill is open they are starting work on this aim.
Nether Alderley Mill is open seasonally. This year it will be open every Saturday, Sunday and Thursday from 1pm to 4.30pm until 3rd November.
Visits to Nether Alderley Mill will be by guided tour only and these will be available on a timed basis when you arrive for your visit.
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It's a tardis! Far bigger inside than it looks from the outside. When the miller opens the sluice to allow water through from the mill pond behind the mill the splat, splat, splat of the inrushing flow onto the elm wood water wheel buckets brings the sleeping mill to life. As the wheels start to rotate, the floors shake underfoot. Giant wood and iron gears take power from the water wheels to drive the mill stones. One's nose senses the distinctive tang of fresh-milled grain in the air, confirmed by a milliard flour motes dancing in the shafts of sunlight streaming through the roof vents. It is a magical place, a microcosm of local history, and we are so lucky to have it on our doorstep.
Come and see us soon!
Vince Chadwick (mill guide)