National Mills Weekend

2024 

This year we will open on 

Saturday 11th May from 2.00 to 5.00pm

and Sunday 12th May from 2.00 to 5.00pm

Our new waterwheel shaft is ready to be fitted. If this can completed in time the mill wil be working and producing flour

Refreshments will be available, hopefully using flour from the mill.

Entrance is free but a donation to Midlands Air Ambulance is appreciated

Please wear sensible shoes 

~~~~~~ 

We have now raised over £17,000 for Midlands Air Ambulance. 

 Thank you for your generosity!

For information about other mills, see below and https://www.spab.org.uk/mills/national-mills-weekend

PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING OPENING TIMES ARE FOR LAST YEAR. THIS PAGE WILL BE AMENDED WHEN WE HAVE THE DATE FOR 2024.

Other mills in South Herefordshire, not normally open to the public, which are usually open for National Mills Weekend and are in easy reach of Clodock are as follows: -

Pontynys mill, Longtown, NGR SO326288, has a high-breastshot wheel that powered an unusual horizontal main shaft driving 4 pairs of stones supplying a bakery on site. Open Saturday 13th, 10.00-4.00pm.

Rowlestone Mill, NGR SO370270, has a working wheel that previously drove two pairs of stones and later woodworking machinery. It was also used to power a fascinating Victorian apple scratter and there is a fine example of a cider press. Open Saturday 13th, 10.00-6.00pm

Fair Oak Farm, Bacton, NGR  SO354321, a restored horse-powered cider mill and press in their original setting. Open Saturday 13th 2.00-6.00pm. 

Olchon House Farm Mill, Llanveynoe, NGR SO307299, has an unusual rim gear.  It was recently restored to working order and is now grinding corn again. Open Saturday 13th 11.00-4.00pm.

Home Farm, Dulas, NGR SO377294, a fine example of a 19th century farm mill. Not open this year.

The Corn Mill, Michaelchurch, NGR SO315345, has a working internal overshot wheel and some machinery.  Like Clodock, this was one of the manorial mills of Ewyas Lacy.  It was still working in 1942. Open Sunday 12.00-5.00pm

Please respect these opening times.

The mills may only be visited at other times with the permission of the owners 

Previous years

National Mills Weekend 2023 We were still waiting for a new waterwheel shaft so it was another relaxed open weekend. People enjoyed themselves even though we couldn't run the mill.

National Mills Weekend 2022 A week earlier we discovered that our wheel shaft, replaced only 12 years before, was rotten to the core and not fit for use, so we were unable to run the mill. We had decided to open just for the two afternoons and with the mill not running it was a much more relaxed affair than usual. We had around 120 visitors over the weekend and raised £764 for Air Ambulance 

National Mills Weekend 2020 and 2021 were cancelled due to Covid.

National Mills Weekend 2019 A very successful sunny weekend with £780 raised for Air Ambulance. Lots of old and new faces.

National Mills weekend 2018 It was a little quieter this year with around 120 visitors. The mill behaved itself and we gently milled around 8 stones of flour - that's 50kg - and raised £618 for Midlands Air Ambulance. 

National Mills Weekend 2017 Another excellent mills weekend with a steady stream of visitors who donated £623 to Midlands Air Ambulance. 

National Mills Weekend 2016 The weather was kind and it was good to see so many visitors, both new and old. Donations to Midlands Air Ambulance again reached a record level.  Since we have been opening the Mill we have raised a total of £9250, enough to fund three ambulance flights.  Let's hope we never need to use them!

National Mills Weekend 2015

Malcolm the Millwright sorted out the gudgeon wedges problem just in time for opening.  The day began with a busload of French visitors from Cognac (and a couple of Russians) which was a tad taxing on my O-level French.  Altogether we had around 150-200 visitors which meant we were busy all weekend but not overwhelmed.  Once again it was really great to see so many people who had come back for a third, fourth or even fifth visit.  The mill performed well and produced good flour.  As usual, Jill and friends toiled over the refreshments.  We launched our new book Trouble at t'Mill which seems to have gone down well.  The takings for Midlands Air Ambulance were at a record level.  A big thank you to everyone who helped to make it another memorable weekend.

National Mills Weekend 2014

As in previous years we opened on the Sunday before National Mills Weekend for friends and neighbours and had a bring your own barbecue for about 60 people. We had repaired the weir the previous Autumn, after 9 months of bureaucratic inertia, so we were able to run the mill until the gudgeon wedges worked loose.  After a quick repair we ran the mill and produced flour for the whole of National Mills Weekend and had around 250 visitors.  Some had visited us 3 or 4 times before and it was great to see them again.  Along with other events this year we have raised over £1000 for Midlands Air Ambulance.  Thank you to everybody who contributed.

National Mills Weekend 2013

We weren't able to run the mill as we were still waiting for the bureaucrats to give us consent to repair the weir.   We had an open day and barbecue for friends and neighbours the Sunday before the official weekend attended by about 80 people.

On Mills Weekend proper the weather was poor but not enough rain to run the Mill. Numbers were down on previous years - perhaps a couple of hundred visitors.  Many had been to the Mill before and it was good to see them again.  

We raised £390 for Air Ambulance.  Thanks to everyone who helped and supported us.

National Mills Weekend 2012.

To relieve the pressure on National Mills Weekend we opened the Mill to friends and neighbours on the Sunday afternoon before. We had around a hundred visitors from 'round yer', plus a few tourists who wandered in.  The mill ran perfectly all afternoon.  It wasn't a fundraiser but people who took flour to try kindly donated around £200 for Midlands Air Ambulance.  Many thanks to Alan and Critchell for sieving and bagging flour.

For the official Mills Weekend we ran all day Saturday and Sunday afternoon. We had in the region of 400 visitors.  Malcolm Cooper, our millwright, came and ran the mill for us on Saturday.  Many thanks to everyone who helped Jill with teas and cakes and looked after the parking (especially Ken and Sue who helped full time both weekends).  We raised over £700 for Midlands Air Ambulance, which is a terrific result as the other open mills were also raising funds for their own preferred charities.

National Mills Weekend 2011 was a huge success for us.  During the week before, thanks to help from our millwright, Malcolm Cooper, we returned the mill to working order and produced first flour at 8pm on Friday evening.

Radio Hereford and Worcester had heard that we were milling for the first time in 57 years.  They broadcast the news on three consecutive days and we made the BBC website.  Along with this and a lot of other publicity for the weekend, we had getting on for 400 visitors.  Malcolm stayed on so we were able to work the mill all Saturday and Sunday. Jill served tea and refreshments to over 250 people.  It was quite overwhelming!

We also raised £674 for Midlands Air Ambulance.