History in Structure

Melin Gwalchmai

A Grade II Listed Building in Gwalchmai, Isle of Anglesey

More Photos »
Approximate Location Map
Large Map »

Coordinates

Latitude: 53.2553 / 53°15'19"N

Longitude: -4.4227 / 4°25'21"W

OS Eastings: 238480

OS Northings: 375882

OS Grid: SH384758

Mapcode National: GBR HNG3.0WV

Mapcode Global: WH42S.1F7R

Plus Code: 9C5Q7H4G+4W

Entry Name: Melin Gwalchmai

Listing Date: 5 April 1971

Last Amended: 23 September 1998

Grade: II

Source: Cadw

Source ID: 5333

Building Class: Industrial

ID on this website: 300005333

Location: Set back from the SE side of a country road SW of Gwalchmai and c. 600m SW of the church of St. Morhaiarn.

County: Isle of Anglesey

Community: Trewalchmai

Community: Trewalchmai

Locality: Gwalchmai

Built-Up Area: Gwalchmai

Tagged with: Windmill

Find accommodation in
Gwalchmai

History

Probably built in the early C19, on land owned by the Treveilyr estate. The mill continued to be worked by wind power until as late as 1927. The cap and sails were removed shortly afterwards and the mill was then powered for several further years by a diesel engine housed in a shed next to the mill.

Anglesey was once the main grain-producing area of NW Wales, and the exposed nature of the landscape made it ideal for wind-powered corn mills (particularly when water supplies were unreliable). Construction of the mills flourished from early C18 to early C19. After the Corn Laws were repealed in 1846 the market was flooded by cheaper imported grain, which, combined with the availability of more convenient sources of power led to the demise of the windmill; by the end of the First World War only a handful were still operating. There are the visible remains of 31 windmill towers on the island, 6 of which have been converted to houses and only 18 remain as full towers; only 2 retain their original machinery and 1 has been restored to working order.

Exterior

Full-height, 3-storey windmill tower; circular in plan with slightly tapering walls of rubble masonry, once rendered. Doorways at ground floor with segmental heads of rough voussoirs, rectangular windows at stages above. Mill now capped with concealed flat roof. A narrow tunnel leads from the E side of the mill to the adjoining former engine shed (of corrugated iron).

Reasons for Listing

Listed as a substantially intact windmill tower, one of only 18 surviving on Anglesey. In early-mid C19 there were over 40 windmills operating on the island, grinding the large volumes of corn then being produced.

External Links

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

Other nearby listed buildings

  • II War memorial
    Prominently sited in the centre of the village of Gwalchmai; within a railed enclosure slightly set back from the N side of the A5(T) Holyhead Road.
  • II* Church of St. Morhaiarn
    Located within an enclosed churchyard, at the end of a single track lane leading off the S side of the A5(T) Holyhead Road, at the W end of the village of Gwalchmai.
  • II Ty Capel
    Set back, within grounds enclosed by a rendered rubble wall surmounted by railings, adjacent to Jerusalem Chapel, to the E side of a country road leading S off the A5(T) in Gwalchmai; c. 350m SSE of t
  • II Jerusalem Chapel
    Set back, within enclosed grounds, to the E side of a country road leading S off the A5(T) in Gwalchmai; c. 350m SSE of the church of St. Morhaiarn.
  • II Telford Milestone W of Gwalchmai
    Set within a low rubble field wall alongside the N side of the A5(T), W of the village of Gwalchmai and c.1km WNW of the church of St. Morhiairn.
  • II Telford Milestone
    Located to the front of a low rubble field wall, slightly set back from the N side of the A5(T) Holyhead Road on the E approach to the village of Gwalchmai; c. 250m WNW of Gwalchmai tollhouse and c. 6
  • II* Church of St. Peulan
    In an isolated rural location, within an irregularly shaped churchyard at the end of a raised trackway W of a country road between the A5(T) and Dothan. Located c. 1.75km SW of Gwalchmai and c. 3km S
  • II Gwalchmai Tollhouse
    Located at the NE side of the A5(T) Holyhead Road on the approach to the village of Gwalchmai, c. 850m E of the church of St. Morhaiarn.

BritishListedBuildings.co.uk is an independent online resource and is not associated with any government department. All government data published here is used under licence. Please do not contact BritishListedBuildings.co.uk for any queries related to any individual listed building, planning permission related to listed buildings or the listing process itself.

British Listed Buildings is a Good Stuff website.