Melin Dol-rhyd

Cadw's description

Location

Combined corn mill and miller's house with associated outbuildings including cart shed with hay loft above, adjoining stables and separate pig sties located on River Banwy approximately 2km downstream of Llanfair Caereinion, on S side of A.458

Exterior

History: C18 with C19 alterations. Built as a corn mill with integral millers house, the house refronted c1810. In the early C19 a masonry structure was added against the timber-framed E end to enclose the wheel. The NE wing, possibly built to house a drying kiln is also probably a later addition. Milling is said to have continued until the 1950s.

Exterior: Light timber framing with painted brick nogging and slate roof with 2 diagonally set axial stacks. NE wing and wheel house are rough random rubble. W facing facade of house is rendered. Two storeyed L shaped, with miller's house forming a 3 window range to the W, oriented NS. The mill, which is almost as broad as the house, forms an EW range, with extensions against its E gable wall (the wheel house) and to the NE (the kiln). Timber framing comprises main vertical posts with light horizontal struts forming panels. Light tie beam and diagonal strut truss exposed in N gable end. Miller's house faces W: central doorway with plain pilasters and panelled reveals in porch, flanked by wide 16-pane sash windows with similar windows above. Inserted casement windows in N gable end. N elevation of mill has inserted entrance towards the left, with earlier doorway alongside it. Loading door to upper right, and 2 hatches to upper left. Inserted small paned casement windows on each floor to centre. NE wing has central plank door with segmentally arched brick head. Two inserted (or renewed?) upper windows below the eaves, with brick blocking suggesting an earlier opening to left. Eastern range encloses a large diameter undershot water wheel with wooden paddles, which is clearly visible from the S side. A low arched opening over the tail race is present on the N side, the water thence running underneath the light railway and into the River Banwy.

Interior: Not accessible at time of inspection. The mill is said to retain its machinery intact, including 3 pairs of stones, a sack hoist, bins and a kiln.

Listed as a well preserved mill and miller's house, said to have machinery intact.

References: D.H. Jones, Watermills of Montgomeryshire, Mss. N.L.W., 1968;
Welsh Mills Group Newsletter, 1989.
8652

C19 corn mill. Walls of rough stone; slate roof. Mill machinery complete except for one set of stones and includes three graded sets of grinding stones, hoists, bins, a flour grader and chutes; the present water wheel, replacing an earlier wooden one, was cast by the Welshpool Foundry. The mill was in working order until after Second World War.