Stainsby Mill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Stainsby Mill |
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| Type | Watermill |
| Location | Stainsby |
| OS grid reference | SK 45562 65319 |
| Area | Derbyshire, England |
| Built | 1846–1850 |
| Owner | National Trust |
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Listed Building – Grade II
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| Official name: Stainsby Mill | |
| Designated | 22 August 1969 |
| Reference no. | 1052316 |
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Stainsby Mill is an old watermill in Derbyshire, England. It was built in the 1800s to make flour. This special mill is located near Chesterfield in a village called Doe Lea.
Today, Stainsby Mill works just like it used to! It is a Grade II listed building, which means it's an important historic place. The mill is cared for by the National Trust. It is also part of the beautiful Hardwick Hall estate.
Contents
History of Stainsby Mill
People think there has been a mill here since the early 1200s. That's a really long time ago!
Water Power for the Mill
At first, the mill got all its water from the River Doe Lea. This river fed into a pond called Miller's Pond. This pond was on the Hardwick estate.
Later, in 1762, another pond was built. This was Stainsby Pond, and it got water from Stainsby Brook. Water from both ponds flowed into the Mill Pond. This pond was across the road from the mill. Special gates called sluice gates let water into the mill's water channel. This channel is called the mill race.
Building the Current Mill
By the 1840s, the old mill was falling apart. So, William Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire decided to rebuild it. He wanted it to have new, modern machines.
The mill was rebuilt between 1846 and 1850. It was made from stone found on the Hardwick Estate. A huge water wheel was installed. It was about 17 feet (5.2 meters) wide! This wheel helped power the mill.
The mill worked for 100 years, until 1952. For a long time, the Saunders family ran the mill. They had worked there since 1689! After 1865, the Hitch family took over. William Hitch was the last miller to work there.
Saving and Restoring the Mill
In 1950, the 10th Duke of Devonshire passed away. As a result, Stainsby Mill became property of the government. It was then given to the National Trust.
The National Trust did some repairs in 1976. Later, in 1990, a group looked at the mill's future. They decided it should be fully restored. Work began in 1991. The mill opened to visitors again in 1992. Now, everyone can see how a historic watermill works!
