Kingsbury Watermill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kingsbury Watermill |
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Kingsbury Watermill
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| General information | |
| Type | Watermill |
| Location | On the River Ver, St Albans |
| Town or city | St Albans (unparished) |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 51°45′16.2″N 0°21′8.28″W / 51.754500°N 0.3523000°W |
| Opened | c. 1570 |
Kingsbury Watermill is a really old building in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England. It used to be a mill that used the power of the River Ver to grind grain. Today, it's a special place where people can enjoy delicious food. It's so old and important that it's officially called a "Grade II listed" building. This means it's protected because of its history and special design.
History of Kingsbury Watermill
We don't know exactly when Kingsbury Mill was first built. But the large amount of wood used suggests it was built around the time of Queen Elizabeth I. This was in the late 1500s. The mill stands on a spot that was used for milling even before that.
There's an even older barn next to the mill. This barn was built in 1373. It's likely this barn helped support the mill that stood there long ago. In the 1700s, a new brick front was added to the mill. It still looks much the same today.
Long ago, the mill belonged to St Albans Abbey. This was before King Henry VIII closed down many monasteries across the country. In 1568, the mill was given to a person named Sir Nicholas Bacon.
After Sir Nicholas Bacon and his son Anthony passed away, the mill went to Francis Bacon. He was a famous scientist and statesman. Later, the mill was given to Thomas Meautys. He was married to Anne Bacon, who was Sir Nicholas's great-granddaughter. Eventually, the mill was bought by Sir Harbottle Grimston. His family later became known as the Earls of Verulam.
The mill was updated in the 1800s. It worked perfectly until the 1960s. In 1972, the milling machines were fixed up. This included two pairs of large grinding stones called millstones. It also included a special water wheel called a breastshot wheel.
Kingsbury Watermill Today
Kingsbury Watermill no longer grinds grain. Since 1978, it has been home to a restaurant called The Waffle House. This restaurant is famous for its sweet and savory Belgian waffles. The flour for their waffles comes from Redbournbury Mill. That mill is about three miles away and was also once part of the same estate as Kingsbury.
You might see a large, interesting stone block at the front of the mill. This stone is called Hertfordshire puddingstone. It's a special type of rock found in the area.
