Pentre Mill

Cadw's description

Location

Located on a track to the N of the B4385 in a slight hollow where a stream runs down the hillside towards the road and the river Camlad. Positioned slightly below Pentre Hall.

History

The mill is said to date to c 1620. It may have been built on or adapted from a former medieval moated site; the topography, location of water courses, and archaeological finds all suggest this. There are also Anglo-Saxon finds. Documentary evidence shows that the mill was once known as Melin-y-Cwm, and at another time the land was known as Chapel Close.

Exterior

A small but high 2-bay structure of 3 storeys to the front and 2 storeys to the rear. Built of large blocks of masonry, randomly laid, with large stone quoins. Slate roof, substantially reconstructed, with fireplace in NW corner, shown by a modern steel flue. The top storey, which has 2 dormers to front and rear was raised later. The remains of a wheel pit can be seen to the E of the building, along with a well preserved culverted tail race with stone arched top.

The openings to the front of the mill are essentially in their original positions, while those to the rear are not. The front door is just off centre and is planked with a small light, within a plain wooden doorcase, and accessed via two steps. The door lintel slopes down considerably to the W and there may once have been a wider door. There are 2 small wooden casement windows on the ground floor, one on the first floor and 2 dormer windows each containing tripartite casements, with plastered gables each containing 2 diagonal struts. The rear is accessed by a modern doorway at first floor level containing a planked door with one light, with a new window opening containing a tripartite wooden casement window to the W. The dormers are as on the front. The W gable end contains a window on the first and second storey, as does the E gable which has a planked door below. There is evidence for a former buttress which would have projected from the NE corner of the mill across the wheel race.

Interior

The roof purlins are original, but the rest of the roof has been rebuilt. It is said to have formerly contained the remains of crucks. There are some original window lintels and corbels inside, and there was a hooded fireplace in the NW corner said to have had a twisted wattle chimney. No mill machinery or fittings survive, but there are some sockets which might relate to it. Modern staircase and partitions.

Reason for designation

Listed as a rare example of a C17 mill with possible earlier origins. The building retains considerable historic character notwithstanding recent repairs and restoration.