17404

 

II  

Designated  

01/04/1996  

01/04/1996  

Melin-y-grug Mill  

 

Powys  

Llanfair Caereinion  

 

Melin-y-Grug  

305411  

307202  

 

 

Industrial  

 

 

To the N of and associated with the house, Melin-y-grûg and within a complex of farmbuildings on the N side of the stream, Nant Melin-y-Grûg, and a track, formerly the road. Triangular mill pond to N, retained by masonry structures. Tail race and leats visible to SE. History: The present mill dates from the late C18 or early C19 but may stand on the site of an earlier mill which was at the centre of the small settlement at Melin-y-grûg. Exterior: Late C18 to early C19, 2 storeys, 2 bays. Random rubble masonry, except W front, partially rebuilt in red bricks in Flemish bond. Slate roof. Rectangular, 2 storeys, 2 bays. Lean-to structure to west end now ruined. Wheel pit and structures to E. Two door openings on front, 1 at each end. Square headed with wooden lintels. The W doorway is later. No doors remain. Ground floor level, W side, window opening under segmental brick arch. Upper storey windows square headed. Frame with 2-light casement in E opening. No glazing. E end; small window opening on 1st storey with wooden shutters. Also 1st floor doorway in NE corner, on N side, probably for raw materials. Small opening in E gable, below ridge level, probably for shafting/support from wheel pit area? Interior: Timber partition between bays and timber steps up to first floor in centre of building. Central king-post and collar beam truss, the tie-beam cut for 2 doorways. Two pairs of grinding wheels on 1st floor at E end; 1 pair of millstone grit, the other pair probably of French quartzite. Enclosed stones with hoppers above. On ground floor near stairs shutes for ground cereals. Below stones on ground floor, vertical drives, in turn linked to wheel. Situation complicated by later use of mill for electricity generation. Inside E doorway in front, belt drives supported on concrete blocks. Much belting remains. Possible that the central (quartzite) stones were operated directly by the water wheel, and a belt drive linked it to the shafting of the millstone grit stones. Access to wheel and shafting difficult. At E end a stone partition separates shafting and drives from main area of mill at ground floor level only. Pelton wheel to E of mill building, enclosed so blades not visible. Vertical arrangement. 2 jets and their valves can be seen pointing towards wheel, which is approximately 1.5m across. Later use as an electricity generator. There is a dynamo of 13 amps, by Electric Construction Co. Ltd., of Wolverhampton. A ball and planet governor visible amongst the shafting. Listed because of the exceptionally well preserved mill machinery and for group value with Melin-y-grûg farmhouse.