History

Probably C18/early C19 with purchase of French stones in 1810; subsequent machinery probably put in during later C19. The ironwork of the waterwheel is inscribed "William Isaac Carmarthen" on the spokes and "TMWD 1907" on the rim. Typical Welsh spur-wheel gearing system with all the drive mechanism under the hurst-frame. Graffiti and paper stickers within the mill give powerful historical connections of the labour force with Patagonia (eg Cyrus Evans visited Patagonia in 1899). Recently restored including replacement of main drive shaft (1989).

Exterior

Simple 2-storey rubble mill with dressed quoins and whitewashed front. Slate roof (continuous with millhouse), large rendered stack to right, oversailing eaves and slate-hung verges. To ground floor right is a wide camber-headed arch with stone voussoirs and old double boarded doors with long strap hinges; a small fixed timber light to left. Two 4-pane timber windows (upper rebuilt?) to gable end over wheelpit containing nearly 4-metre overshot, iron-framed wheel (dated 1907), fed by timber lander to rear. Uphill side of mill with timber half-door flanked by small-pane windows in plain reveals with slate sills. W gable end with waterwheel fed from uphill mill pond and tailrace continues diagonally below the mill to rejoin the Afon Annell.

Interior

Ground floor, originally divided into drive-room and threshing-floor, retains old chamfered and adzed crossbeam with notching for stud partition. Horizontal timber driveshaft runs through external wall to drive pitwheel which is geared through wallower to spurwheel on vertical main shaft supported by massive double uprights at corners of the frame. The main shaft is geared to flanking shafts which drive the two sets of stones on the upper floor. Pair of French stones (purchased 1810) are enclosed in polygonal timber case with square feeder over; the second rougher set with domed head were used for animal feed. Various belt and chain drives linked to the pitwheel operate ancillary machinery (eg rotating cleaners and graders) on the upper floor. Shutes to bagging hoppers are set into the oak timber floor. Shallow-pitch closed A-frame roof trusses with part attic floor, timber brake levers and hoist spindles to apex.

Reasons for Listing

Good representative example of typical rural cornmill retaining machinery in working order, amongst the last to survive in Carmarthenshire; nearest working mill is 15 km away at Llanwnnen. Unique historic evidence of a link with the Welsh settlement in Patagonia.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29493933

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

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  Gloucestershire 1: The Cotswolds: Cotswolds Pt. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
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  Yorkshire West Riding: Sheffield and the South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects, Supplement 2014
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  England's Post-War Listed Buildings
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  Harrow on the Hill: A photographic portrayal of listed buildings and structures (Historic Buildings Picture Guides)