No more trouble at mill – it’s been fixed (From Worcester News)

No more trouble at mill – it’s been fixed

10:10am Monday 24th May 2010 in

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THERE’S an old mill by the stream and it’s working again. The Worcestershire hamlet of Shelsley Walsh, midway between Tenbury Wells and Worcester, enjoys fame far in excess of its size thanks to the presence of the famous motorsport hill climb, but now it’s hitting the headlines for an altogether more peaceful pursuit.

Watching a watermill gently flop over might not engender the same adrenalin rush as tearing up the hill in a supercharged Bugatti, but the two experiences are intertwined at Shelsey. For when the Midlands Automobile Club (MAC) renewed the lease on the speed track in 2005, it took over an extended group of nearby farm buildings, including a derelict watermill.

In a magnificent restoration effort, a team describing itself as “12 retired men” have spent more than 7,000 hours over the last four years bringing the old watermill back to life. The project has not only surprised themselves but also some of the locals, who didn’t even know there was a watermill there to be saved. It would be nice to be able to say this piece of ancient engineering dates back to 1308 – the first time records mention a watermill at Shelsley – but that can’t be proved for certain, for there were two mills in the area in those far off days.

But the timber frame and workings of the restored mill can be traced back to 1700, plenty of time for nature to do its best to hide it from view. Something that had been achieved with considerable success.

So it was a real pat on the back and crack open the champagne moment when the restored mill was officially declared open by Sir Anthony and Lady Winnington, who own the Brockhill Estate which includes the hill climb. Not only that, but the mill is now in full working order and as well as the wheel turning lazily in the water, the machinery can mill flour and drive period farm machinery.

All this was but pie in the sky in 2005 when the MAC renewed its lease.

Although most of the farm buildings could be put to good use by the club, as offices and other facilities for the hill climb competitors and spectators, the mill had no clear use. There was even a suggestion that it should be demolished to save on future maintenance costs.

It was at this point that one of the members of the MAC suggested that the mill should be repaired and made an attraction in its own right. Martyn Herridge soon gathered support from other members, notably Colin and Drene Baker. One of the first tasks was to clear enough weeds and foliage to expose the mill to view.

One of the first volunteers to come along to a working day was John Dyas, who made the mistake of admitting that he had done “a bit of bricklaying”.

In the coming months John was going to do rather more than a bit of bricklaying.

A meeting was called for all MAC members with an interest in bringing the mill back to life and the core of what would soon become the Shelsley Water Mill Society was formed. Jim Weston would become treasurer with the support of wife Susan. Richard and Margaret Gallé joined the team and Adam Cooper pledged support when work commitments allowed.

The list of volunteers gradually grew and now the society is now independent of MAC but there is close co-operation between the two.

Early efforts concentrated on clearing the site and making sure the building was safe, although the team mostly left the interior of the mill alone at that stage and set its sights on getting the mill wheel going.

For the wheel to turn, water had to taken away along a channel called a tailrace and Shelsley watermill didn’t have one any more. It had been completely filled in.

Digging out the soil mixed with old bricks, bottles, fertiliser sacks and general rubbish was a long, arduous job, for although a JCB could be used in part, much had to be done by hand.

It was the best part of six months before restoration of the tailrace, including new brickwork, was completed.

Since then the project has progressed steadily until completion this spring.

Now what was once a derelict part of our industrial and agricultural heritage has been turned into a peaceful visitor attraction and educational resource.

All together now. Where we can sit and dream, Sweet Nellie Dean...

● The watermill is occasionally open to the public. Check dates and times at shelsleywatermill.com.