Trafford Mill facts for kids
Trafford Mill is an old water mill located about 1.2 kilometers north of Mickle Trafford, a village in Cheshire, England. It's a special building because it's listed as a Grade II historic site. This means it's an important building that needs to be protected.
Discovering Trafford Mill's Past
The first time Trafford Mill was written about was way back in 1302 or 1303. This was found in old financial records for Cheshire. It was also mentioned in records from the Troutbeck family in 1464. Later, between 1784 and 1832, it appeared in land tax records.
In October 1767, an advertisement in the Chester Chronicle newspaper offered the mill for rent. It was described as a "new built corn mill." This tells us the mill was built around 1760, making it almost 100 years older than people first thought!
In 1917, the mill was sold at a big event called the Shrewsbury Sale. At that time, it was a three-story mill for grinding corn. It had two water wheels, though one needed fixing. There was also a drying kiln, a barn, a stable, and a place for cows.
The mill stopped working in 1952. The North West Water Authority, which is now United Utilities, took it over. The building was in bad shape, but in the 1970s, its roof was fixed, and other repairs were made. More repairs happened in 1998 to keep it standing.
How Trafford Mill is Built
Trafford Mill is shaped like the letter 'L'. It's mostly built from bricks and has a roof made of Welsh slate. There's also a brick chimney. Parts of the building's base might be on a strong oak frame. However, the northern part of the base seems to be made of sandstone.
The mill has two floors and a long front with 12 sections, called bays. It was built in the 1700s. Inside, there are two places where water wheels used to turn. The northern wheel area has a metal wheel from 1883. This wheel helped sift flour. It's believed this part of the building sits on very old foundations from the Middle Ages. This might be why a narrow, single-spoke wheel was used, as it was the only type that could fit.
The southern wheel area has a fixed water wheel. It also has all the gears and parts that used to power three sets of "French burr stones." These special stones were used to grind grain. The ground floor of the mill has a tiled floor and a metal fireplace.
Future Plans for Trafford Mill
In 2001, a special group was formed. This group wanted to become a charity and raise money. Their goal was to turn Trafford Mill into a museum and a place for visitors.
They tried three times to get money from the lottery, but they weren't successful. However, they did get some funding from the Mersey Basin project. This money helped them install a wood-burning heating system. They also received smaller amounts of money for tools and a special greenhouse called a polytunnel.
In 2007, a kitchen garden was started where a small farm used to be. Volunteers help take care of this garden. A group called 'Friends of Trafford Mill' has also been created. It's made up of volunteers and other people from the local area who care about the mill.
