History in Structure

Fernside Mill

A Grade II Listed Building in Trellech United (Tryleg Unedig), Monmouthshire

More Photos »
Approximate Location Map
Large Map »

Coordinates

Latitude: 51.7616 / 51°45'41"N

Longitude: -2.7028 / 2°42'10"W

OS Eastings: 351589

OS Northings: 207219

OS Grid: SO515072

Mapcode National: GBR JL.06TC

Mapcode Global: VH871.3ZGG

Plus Code: 9C3VQ76W+JV

Entry Name: Fernside Mill

Listing Date: 28 February 2001

Last Amended: 4 November 2020

Grade: II

Source: Cadw

Source ID: 24948

Building Class: Industrial

ID on this website: 300024948

Location: On the north side of the Whitebrook valley road and about 2km west of the Church of the Holy Trinity.

County: Monmouthshire

Town: Monmouth

Community: Trellech United (Tryleg Unedig)

Community: Trellech United

Locality: Whitebrook

Traditional County: Monmouthshire

Tagged with: Mill

Find accommodation in
Mitchel Troy

History

This is the only complete paper mill surviving in the Whitebrook valley and very possibly the only one left in Wales. It is not known when it was built, but it appears early C19 in architectural character and it was certainly in existence in 1842. All the paper mills in the valley seem to have gone out of production soon after the Wye Valley Railway opened in 1876. Water power was by then no longer needed and the railways meant that the necessary rags could easily be collected to the central industrial areas, and this also coincided with the great increase in the use of wood fibre in paper making which required large premises and mechanical production.

Exterior

This former mill building is now roofless and in extremely poor condition. The three-storey structure was built backing onto the mill dam. The former top floor is level with the road and has direct access to it through the gable end. The other two floors were below the water level in the mill pond, giving a 5m head.
The building is constructed of coursed squared rock faced local sandstone rubble and although the roof has gone the gable ends remain in place. The south-west, roadside, gable end has an elliptically-headed boarded door and an inset Victorian (VR) wall post box. The elevation onto the millpond (north-west) is single storey but the former timber frame, with vertical louvres, is lost. This was a diagnostic feature of the former mill as the louvres were there to ventilate the paper drying floor. The downstream (south-east) elevation is three storeys and had two doors and three windows on the ground floor and five windows on the first floor. The elliptical heads and openings remain but most of the windows have gone and some of the ground floor openings are blocked up. The upper floor has entirely gone.

Interior

The original plan of drying floor at the top, paper making floor in the middle and rag floor to the base is no longer discernible following internal collapse and the building’s progressively ruinous state.

Reasons for Listing

Included notwithstanding its very poor condition on account of its historic interest and industrial heritage significance. It is a very rare example in Wales of a paper mill, believed to be the only one of its kind still surviving in some form.

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 Signpost Penalt/Trelleck
    On the south side of the Whitebrook valley road and about 2500m west of the Church of the Holy Trinity. It is at the crossroads for Whitebrook, Penallt, Monmouth and The Narth.
  • II Stable Block at The Argoed
    Set in the slope at right angles to the house and closing the north west side of the forecourt. The Argoed is set its own grounds, 600m south of Penallt. This range is also known as the Great Stable
  • II* The Argoed
    Set in its own landscaped grounds about 600m south of Penallt (Pentwyn) with magnificent views to the east. Reached from the west drive, close to the fork in the by-road to Tregagle.
  • II Garden House at The Argoed
    Set on the garden wall on the north side of the lawn about 50m north east of The Argoed.
  • II Clearwater House
    On the north side of the Whitebrook valley road and about 450m west of the Church of the Holy Trinity.
  • II Chimney of former Clearwater Mill
    On the north side of the Whitebrook valley road and about 350m west of the Church of the Holy Trinity.

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.