Town Mill, Guildford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Town Mill, Guildford |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Type | Watermill |
| Location | Guildford, Surrey |
| OS grid reference | SU 99596 49263 |
| Built | 1768, extended 1852 |
| Governing body | Yvonne Arnaud Theatre |
| Owner | Guildford Borough Council |
|
Listed Building – Grade II
|
|
| Official name: Town Mill | |
| Designated | 1 May 1953 |
| Reference no. | 1188091 |
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
The Town Mill is a very old and special building in the middle of Guildford. It's an 18th-century watermill that sits right by the River Wey. This building is so important that it's officially protected as a Grade II listed building.
Contents
The Mill's Long History
Early Days: Wool and Water
The first mill we know about on this spot was built way back in 1295. A person named Walter de la Poyle built it. This early mill was a fulling mill. A fulling mill helped make wool cloth stronger and thicker. Guildford was a very important place for the wool trade back then. This first mill was probably known as Kings Mill.
By the late 1600s, the mill had grown. It started grinding corn as well as processing wool. It had four sets of grinding stones. Two sets made flour for people, and two made food for animals. Three large water wheels on the outside of the building made everything work.
River Power and Growth
The building of the Wey Navigation was a huge help for the mill. This canal system meant that boats, called barges, could bring grain right to the mill. After the grain was ground into flour, the barges could then take the sacks of flour all the way to London. This made the mill very busy and successful.
New Buildings and Better Wheels
By 1768, some parts of the mill were getting old and falling apart. The eastern side of the building was taken down. In its place, a new three-story building was put up. It was made of red brick with fancy decorations under the roof. The western part of the mill was fixed up and kept working. This section was called the Hogsmeat Mill.
At the same time, the old water wheels were replaced. The new ones were much better at using the river's power. In 1852, the western section was also replaced. A new brick building was built to look just like the one from 1768.
Pumping Water and Making Electricity
From 1770, an extra water wheel at the mill was used for a different job. It pumped water up to the town's water supply on Pewsey Down. In 1896, two water turbines replaced this wheel. Turbines are like advanced water wheels that spin very fast.
Later, in 1930, a single, more powerful turbine took over. This turbine worked until 1952. After that, electric pumps took over the job of supplying water.
In 2003, the Guildford Borough Council decided to bring a turbine back to the mill. They installed a new turbine that looks just like the old ones. This new turbine is a great example of renewable energy. Instead of pumping water, it now creates electricity! It can make enough electricity to power many homes each year. This power goes into the main electricity network in the UK. The turbine started working in 2006. The original 1930 turbine is now on display at Dapdune Wharf.
The Mill Today
Today, the Town Mill is no longer grinding flour or pumping water. It is now used by the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, which is right next door. They use it as a workshop to build scenery for their plays. It also has a small studio theatre inside.
