8660

 

II  

Designated  

10/05/1980  

01/04/1996  

Melin-y-ddol  

 

Powys  

Llanfair Caereinion  

 

Melin-y-ddol  

309108  

306977  

 

Located on W bank of the River Banwy and E side of the A458, 1km W of Llanfair Caereinion.  

Domestic  

 

Mid to late C18 with C19 alterations. Combined corn mill and miller's house.  

L-shaped, 2 with ranges of similar length at right angles. The EW range is slightly higher and represents the mill while the NS range is the house. 3 storeys. Additional, parallel range to W of mill, possibly cart shed. To S of house a detached structure incorporating an oven, which at one time butted up against S wall of house. Constructed of random rubble masonry; local shale of poor quality. Strengthened by timber noggings, many of the timbers have been reused. Limewashed walls except W side of house which is rendered. Built directly off bedrock. Slate roofs. 2 red brick chimneys both on house, one near end and one near centre. 'E' elevation fronting river: the north end is closest to the river and the water power system. Elevation incorporates both house and mill, and was built as one. Gable wall of mill contains 3 windows, 1 on each storey, under square headed openings. Wooden frames and glazing bars, no glass surviving. House portion includes 1 tripartite wooden casement window on 2nd floor, one iron casement window on first floor and 2 on ground floor, the former having 12 panes and the latter, 16 panes each. W side: 2 first floor windows to house, iron casements with 12 and 16 panes. Doorway to house just N of centre. Wooden planked door under square head; modern window to S of doorway. S side of mill: wooden casement window at 1st floor level, with a 3 pane casement on the W side and a wooden shutter on the E side and stable doors beneath. W end of mill range has stable doors and a small, high level hatch. Additional structure attached to W has a door at E end, and cart/garage doors at W end which cut through an earlier opening under a segmental brick arch. W end in poor condition, with cement rendering. S gable of house has a timber dovecote attached under the eaves of the gable, and the scar of the gable of the formerly adjoining structure, which included the oven. N elevation: rough rubble masonry with many signs of repair and alteration. Wooden cam shaft for former water wheel protrudes from a small round headed opening with voussoirs at a low level. No remains of overshot waterwheel but some ruined masonry and a cobbled stone floor represent the former wheel pit. There is a further round headed opening above, which contains a wooden planked hatch. To the west is a further pair of round headed openings one below the other. At the W end of the N elevation is a large concrete trough approximately 10m to the W, both of which were fed from the same race, and a concrete cistern above. The trough butting against the N elevation contains metal valve machinery at its E end which passes into the mill, and sections of a large diameter metal pipe. In front or E of the trough is a pelton wheel, comprising 3 cast iron gears, approximately 1m diameter, each containing 6 spokes and many pairs of metal cups. Further outbuildings to rear.  

Not accessible at time of inspection (October 1995).  

Listed as a well preserved mill and miller's house with evidence for water power system and later electricity generation.