Winchester and the walk to St Cross.
Winchester City Mill
Bridge Street, Winchester, Hampshire, SO23 9BH
The Winchester City Mill is a restored water mill situated on the River Itchen in the centre of the ancient English city of Winchester. The mill is owned by the National Trust.
The mill was first recorded, milling corn, in the Domesday Book of 1086. The mill was last rebuilt in 1744 and remained in use until the early 1900s. The mill was then used as a laundry until 1928 when it was offered for sale. In order to prevent its demolition, a group of benefactors bought the mill and presented it to the National Trust. In 1932 the mill was leased to the Youth Hostels Association for use as a hostel, a usage that continued until recently.
In 2004, a 12-year restoration program came to a successful conclusion, and after a hiatus of at least 90 years the mill again milled flour by water power. The water wheel can be seen working daily throughout the year and flour milling is demonstrated every weekend of the year, and most Wednesdays during the Summer. The mill building also houses a National Trust shop.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchester_City_Mill
—————————————————————
History
Winchester City Mill is located on a site used for milling flour since Saxon times.
It spans the River Itchen in the heart of Winchester, once capital of late Anglo-Saxon England. King Alfred held court here in the 8th century.
The name City Mill came into being after Queen Mary Tudor gifted it to the city in 1554 following her wedding in the nearby cathedral.
Domesday and a time of prosperity.
A Saxon mill, owned by the Benedictine nunnery of Wherwell, almost certainly existed on the site more than 1000 years ago. The location is close to a major entrance to the city where the East Gate in the city walls led to Soke Bridge.
In 1086, the Domesday survey records the mill as returning a rent of 48s (£2.40) per annum to the Abbess. This amount was well above the average mill rent in southern England.
Wherwell Abbey leased the mill to a long series of medieval millers and it prospered for more than 200 years until the end of the 13th century; the Abbess received a healthy £4 per annum rent in 1295. During this period the mill became known as Eastgate Mill.
Decline, and Eastgate Mill becomes derelict.
A series of bad harvests in the early 14th century, coupled with Winchester having lost its capital status, quickly reduced the value of the mill. The Black Death, which struck in 1348, followed by the loss of the wool trade to Calais soon after, would have accelerated the decline. The mill eventually fell out of use and it appears from records to have been derelict by 1471.
A royal gift to Winchester.
King Henry Vlll took the still derelict Eastgate Mill into Crown ownership at the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1439. His daughter Queen Mary Tudor then gave it to the city in 1554, partly to offset the cost of her wedding to Philip of Spain in the nearby cathedral. It was also partly in response to earlier pleas for financial assistance from the impoverished city.
At this time, the mill became known as the City Mill. Despite many attempts with successive leases, the city failed to have the mill restored and for many years they only received 10/- (50p) rent per annum plus ‘two chickens for the Mayor’.
The present mill is built.
Finally in 1743 a new tenant, the tanner James Cooke, rebuilt the mill. This is the building you see today. The central section with its fine gable was completed first and the eastern section was added later. It seems materials from an earlier building were re-used, as some of the roof timbers date back to the 15th century.
web.archive.org/web/20060519160513/http://www.nationaltru...
Also see:-
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/winchester-city-mill
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/winchester-city-mill/features/a-...
Winchester and the walk to St Cross.
Winchester City Mill
Bridge Street, Winchester, Hampshire, SO23 9BH
The Winchester City Mill is a restored water mill situated on the River Itchen in the centre of the ancient English city of Winchester. The mill is owned by the National Trust.
The mill was first recorded, milling corn, in the Domesday Book of 1086. The mill was last rebuilt in 1744 and remained in use until the early 1900s. The mill was then used as a laundry until 1928 when it was offered for sale. In order to prevent its demolition, a group of benefactors bought the mill and presented it to the National Trust. In 1932 the mill was leased to the Youth Hostels Association for use as a hostel, a usage that continued until recently.
In 2004, a 12-year restoration program came to a successful conclusion, and after a hiatus of at least 90 years the mill again milled flour by water power. The water wheel can be seen working daily throughout the year and flour milling is demonstrated every weekend of the year, and most Wednesdays during the Summer. The mill building also houses a National Trust shop.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchester_City_Mill
—————————————————————
History
Winchester City Mill is located on a site used for milling flour since Saxon times.
It spans the River Itchen in the heart of Winchester, once capital of late Anglo-Saxon England. King Alfred held court here in the 8th century.
The name City Mill came into being after Queen Mary Tudor gifted it to the city in 1554 following her wedding in the nearby cathedral.
Domesday and a time of prosperity.
A Saxon mill, owned by the Benedictine nunnery of Wherwell, almost certainly existed on the site more than 1000 years ago. The location is close to a major entrance to the city where the East Gate in the city walls led to Soke Bridge.
In 1086, the Domesday survey records the mill as returning a rent of 48s (£2.40) per annum to the Abbess. This amount was well above the average mill rent in southern England.
Wherwell Abbey leased the mill to a long series of medieval millers and it prospered for more than 200 years until the end of the 13th century; the Abbess received a healthy £4 per annum rent in 1295. During this period the mill became known as Eastgate Mill.
Decline, and Eastgate Mill becomes derelict.
A series of bad harvests in the early 14th century, coupled with Winchester having lost its capital status, quickly reduced the value of the mill. The Black Death, which struck in 1348, followed by the loss of the wool trade to Calais soon after, would have accelerated the decline. The mill eventually fell out of use and it appears from records to have been derelict by 1471.
A royal gift to Winchester.
King Henry Vlll took the still derelict Eastgate Mill into Crown ownership at the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1439. His daughter Queen Mary Tudor then gave it to the city in 1554, partly to offset the cost of her wedding to Philip of Spain in the nearby cathedral. It was also partly in response to earlier pleas for financial assistance from the impoverished city.
At this time, the mill became known as the City Mill. Despite many attempts with successive leases, the city failed to have the mill restored and for many years they only received 10/- (50p) rent per annum plus ‘two chickens for the Mayor’.
The present mill is built.
Finally in 1743 a new tenant, the tanner James Cooke, rebuilt the mill. This is the building you see today. The central section with its fine gable was completed first and the eastern section was added later. It seems materials from an earlier building were re-used, as some of the roof timbers date back to the 15th century.
web.archive.org/web/20060519160513/http://www.nationaltru...
Also see:-
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/winchester-city-mill
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/winchester-city-mill/features/a-...