Abergwenlais Mill

Cadw's description

Location

Situated about 1km SSE of Cilycwm, approached by lane running E of road to Cilycwm some 500m N of Pont Newydd.

History

Later C18 to earlier C19 mill, house, and outbuildings on the Gwenlais river just above confluence with Towy. On the 1845 Tithe Map the mill is shown without the house and outbuildings, it was then owned by the Rev Daniel Prytherch Price of Abergwenlais. The mill has heavy cornerstones and could be late C18, though probably altered in C19, the house was probably added in mid C19 and the outbuildings in later C19. The Abergwenlais estate was sold to W. Campbell-Davys of Neuadd Fawr in 1856. The mill leat was ruined by flood in earlier C20 and mill was afterwards disused.

Exterior

Mill, hipped roof and heavy cornerstones. Ground floor right broad cart-entry with cambered head and stone voussoirs. Large casement pair with timber lintel to first floor right. Left side is obscured by added 2-storey lean-to with similar large casement pair in N side. Rubble stone to S and W. S side with casement pair to first and second floors, both with one brick jamb, blocked ground floor opening with stone voussoirs. Water-wheel was on this side. Straight joint to lean-to. W rear has cambered arched ground floor cart-entry to left and two blocked openings, first floor former door now casement pair, to right of centre, and casement pair to second floor left.

Interior

Mill ground floor has three heavy beams. Pine first floor beams. Fine roof trusses of arch-braced collar trusses with diagonal struts above collar. Bolted joints. In roof, massive timber horizontal shaft for hoist. Barn has later C19 roof with stapled collars, four bays.

Reason for designation

A good mill group, with unusual roof structure to mill.