Melin Bodowyr

Cadw's description

Location

Located to the S of Melin Bodowyr farmhouse, on the N side of an unmarked road between the farms of Llys Lew and Bodrida, c 2km NE of Brynsiencyn.

History

Melin Bodowyr is listed in the Lligwy papers in 1747, and is shown on an estate map of 1783 (Boston Estate), along with the land associated with the farm, and the watercourses serving the mill. There are two mill buildings shown on the map; both are extant although that to the S has been long redundant as a mill. The main mill building was extended to the W by 1 bay, probably in the late C19, and a small churn room added to the W gable wall. The mill continued to work until 1946.

Exterior

Water powered corn mill. The main mill is a rectangular 2 storey building with an external waterwheel in pit to left (E) end. Rubble walls with pitched slate roof covering. Central door to front (N), widened from original proportions, and a narrow door to the rear (S) wall. Small windows to first floor. The extent of the original building is marked by massive stones to the quoins. To the left (E) of the door is a single storey projection, probably a store. To the right of the door is a late C19 single bay addition of rubble stone, with a small churn room to the right (W) gable end. The waterwheel has cast-iron rims, hubs and sockets, with wooden buckets and spokes. To the SE, aligned at an angle to the main mill, is an earlier mill building, shown on the 1783 estate map. Rubble walls and slate roof, with a single door in the NE wall. The waterwheel pit is infilled.

Interior

The mill retains all of its machinery, including great spur wheel, pit wheel, wallower and stone nuts, driving two millstones which are located on the first floor. Formerly with an overhead drive-shaft driving a sack-hoist, cleaning box and churn in the churn room to the W gable end.

Reason for designation

Listed as a scarce example on Anglesey of a complete water-powered corn mill, retaining all machinery intact.