Melin-y-wern

Cadw's description

Location

Set back on the N side of the A541 behind the Old Mill Hotel.

History

The present mill is late Georgian, but was an extensive concern by the late C19 when a large warehouse was built adjacent (now a hotel). In this period a 2-storey wing was added on the uphill side, and a drying kiln was added at the rear. The extant waterwheel is also of late C19 date. The mill is said to have been working as late as 1953. Its machinery was removed after closure and the building has been converted to an art gallery.

Exterior

A 3-storey, 3-window former mill built against a steep bank, of rubble stone with larger quoins, and slate roof. The windows are renewed in earlier openings, except the middle and upper storeys on the L side, both of which are converted from former doorways. The lower storey has stone segmental-headed openings with a doorway to the L, while the middle storey openings are under wooden lintels and the upper-storey beneath the eaves, except on the L side where the original doorway has been converted to a dormer window. Against the R gable end is a late C19 high-breast-shot waterwheel, of cast iron with wooden radial arms (partly renewed) and wrought iron buckets and sole plate. It is fed by an iron sluice box with control lever, and which stands on a high rubble stone wall abutting the rear of the mill. The tail race is not visible.

Set back against the L gable end, where the ground level is higher, is an added single-storey 2-window wing level with the middle storey of the mill. Its windows, of which the L-hand is converted from a doorway, have rock-faced stone lintels, while in the gable end is a window renewed in a late C19 brick segmental head. A lean-to is added behind the projection. The rear of the mill, where the ground level is higher, is only 2 storeys. The outline walls of a former attached drying kiln remain visible. The rear wall of the mill has an inserted window upper R, an external stack on the L side, and added external brick stack to the R.

Interior

Mill machinery has been removed. In the lower storey is a blocked doorway in the rear wall leading up former steps, now infilled, to the kiln.

Reason for designation

Listed for industrial archaeological interest as a substantial early C19 mill building with a surviving water wheel, in a prominent location.