Shalford Mill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Shalford Mill |
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View of the mill from the west.
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| Type | Watermill |
| Location | Shalford, Surrey |
| OS grid reference | TQ 00106 47635 |
| Built | 18th Century |
| Owner | National Trust |
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Listed Building – Grade II*
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| Official name: Shalford Mill | |
| Designated | 14 Jun 1967 |
| Reference no. | 1294360 |
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Shalford Mill is an old watermill from the 1700s. It sits on the River Tillingbourne in Shalford, near Guildford, Surrey, England. This special building is protected as a Grade II* listed site. In 1932, a group of amazing young women called Ferguson's Gang gave the mill to the National Trust.
Contents
A Look Back in Time: The Mill's History
Did you know there was a mill here way back in 1086? That's what the old Domesday Book tells us! It was one of five mills in the big area of Bramley.
The mill you see today was built around 1750 by a man named John Mildred. It was quite special because it had two separate mills inside. Each part had its own waterwheel and machines. The Mildred family ran the mill for most of the 1700s. Later, the Austen family owned it. The eastern part of the mill stopped working around 1870. The western part kept going until 1914. After that, the mill was used to store seeds and then furniture. By 1927, it was empty.
How Ferguson's Gang Saved the Mill
Shalford Mill was in danger of being torn down! But then, Peggy Pollard (also known as Bill Stickers) and Brynhild Catherine Jervis-Read (also known as Sister Agatha) from Ferguson's Gang stepped in. They were part of a secret group of young women who loved old buildings.
They convinced the mill's owners to give it to the National Trust. The Gang promised to raise money to fix it up and keep it running. A skilled architect named John Eric Miers Macgregor helped with the repairs. He even became a member of the Gang, known as "The Artichoke." The mill's owner, Major Arthur Godwin-Austen, also joined the Gang as "The Pious Yudhishthira." From 1932 to 1966, Shalford Mill was the secret headquarters for Ferguson's Gang!
Today, you can sometimes visit the Gang's old headquarters. You might even see some cool things from the 1930s, like two beds from the famous R100 airship! The National Trust turned one half of the mill into a home. The other half, with its old machines, was saved and fixed up, though it doesn't work anymore.
Inside the Mill
Shalford Mill was built very well, showing off John Mildred's skill. The building has a wooden frame and a roof made of clay tiles. The walls are covered with tiles too, matching the brick base. The windows have cool diamond-shaped glass. The mill also has a special part called a "lucam." This is a section that sticks out over the road. It made it easy for wagons to load and unload goods.
The Mill's Machines
Originally, each side of the mill had two pairs of millstones. The stones on the eastern side made fine flour for people to eat. The western side had one pair for grinding animal feed and another for grinding corn. Each pair of stones was powered by a large water wheel, about 4.3 meters (14 feet) wide! After the eastern side closed, a third pair of stones was added to the western half.
Who Ran the Mill?
Even though the Mildred family owned the mill, they likely hired people to do the actual grinding. Here are some of the millers who worked there after 1794:
- John Sparkes (until 1830)
- John Lambert
- Charles, Abraham, and Daniel Lambert (John's sons)
- George Lambert (John's grandson, until 1882)
- Thomas and Frederick Botting
- Henry Botting (until 1917)
Visiting Shalford Mill
You can visit Shalford Mill on Wednesdays and Sundays during the summer months. It's a great chance to see this historic building and learn more about its past!
