History in Structure

Melin Sguthan (also known as Union Mill)

A Grade II Listed Building in Llanfihangel Ysgeifiog, Isle of Anglesey

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Coordinates

Latitude: 53.2242 / 53°13'27"N

Longitude: -4.2809 / 4°16'51"W

OS Eastings: 247824

OS Northings: 372111

OS Grid: SH478721

Mapcode National: GBR 5H.0YBX

Mapcode Global: WH431.67Q3

Plus Code: 9C5Q6PF9+MJ

Entry Name: Melin Sguthan (also known as Union Mill)

Listing Date: 30 January 1968

Last Amended: 20 October 1998

Grade: II

Source: Cadw

Source ID: 5493

Building Class: Industrial

Also known as: Melin Gaerwen
Union Mill

ID on this website: 300005493

Location: Set back from the N side of a minor road leading off the A5(T) in Gaerwen, situated c100m N of the new church of St Michael.

County: Isle of Anglesey

Community: Llanfihangel Ysgeifiog

Community: Llanfihangel Ysgeifiog

Locality: Gaerwen

Tagged with: Windmill

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Gaerwen

History

Late C18 wind powered corn mill; the mill ceased working in 1913 and in 1917 was deliberately set on fire to facilitate the recovery of its metalwork for the war effort. 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, with over 40 operating on the island by 1835. After the Corn Laws were repealed in 1846 the market was flooded by cheaper imported grain which, combined with the availability of more convenient sources of power, led to the demise of the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, 4-storey, windmill tower; circular plan, with slightly tapering walls of rubble masonry, originally rendered (some render remains). Roofless and capless with fragmentary remains of wood super-structure. Doorways at ground floor and rectangular windows at stages above, with segmental heads formed of roughly hewn voussoirs.

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.

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Other nearby listed buildings

  • II Church of St Michael (new church)
    Set back from the N side of the A5 (T) at the western end of the village of Gaerwen, in walled churchyard with lychgate.
  • II School rooms adjacent to the Church of St Michael
    Located within the church grounds and directly E of the Church of St Michael (new church), Gaerwen, set back from the N side of the A5(T).
  • II Telford Milestone
    Abutting the churchyard wall of the new church of St Michael, Gaerwen; slightly set back from the N side of the A5(T).
  • II War Memorial
    Set back slightly from the S side of the A5(T), within a small enclosed area bounded by railings, to the front of Gaerwen Village Hall.
  • II Melin Maengwyn
    Set back from the N side of the A5(T), c750m E of the new church of St Michael, Gaerwen.
  • II* Plas Berw with courtyard and walls
    In an isolated location, at the end of a single track lane, NW of the B4419, and c1.3km WSW of the Church of St Michael (new church) in Gaerwen.
  • II Remains of former Plas Berw
    In an isolated location, at the end of a single track lane, NW of the B4419, and c1.3km WSW of the Church of St Michael (new church) in Gaerwen. The remains of the old house lie in the grounds to the
  • II Church of St Michael (old church)
    In an isolated location, set back from the NW side of a country road and reached only by footpath. The church remains lie within an enclosed churchyard, c1.4km N of the new Church of St. Michael, Gae

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