Exploring Winchester City Mill Virtual Tour #travel #subscribe

Hello and welcome to this virtual tour of one of the oldest watermills in the UK,with a history dating back over a thousand years: Winchester City Mill.

The building’s historical connections range from King Alfred the Great to Joseph Mallord William Turner, and through its preservation from demolition in 1928 to its rebirth as a working mill by the National Trust.

The next phase of the mill's history includes a full-restoration so it can begin milling and producing flour once again.

A mill has existed on the site of Winchester City Mill since at least Saxon times; the foundation of the building suggests that the Saxon mill was established on the site of an earlier Roman mill. Early records from 932AD and 989AD refer to a watermill owned by the Benedictine nunnery of Wherwell Abbey. 

In the Domesday survey of 1086, the mill is recorded as returning a rent of 48 shillings, making it one of the most profitable in the country. However, a series of bad harvests in the early 14th century, coupled with Winchester losing its capital status, reduced its value. The Black Death accelerated the decline and the mill was recorded as derelict by 1471.

Following dissolution, it fell into Crown ownership. Mary Tudor, daughter of Henry the 8th, gifted it to the city in 1554 after her wedding in the nearby cathedral.

In 1743, a new tenant named James Cooke began rebuilding and extending the medieval mill. This is the building you see today. The central section with its fine gable was completed first, the eastern section added later. Many structural timbers date back to the 14th and 15th centuries, suggesting much of the structure of the earlier building was retained.

Joseph Mallord William Turner sketched the mill in 1795 when visiting the area as a young student of the Royal Academy. His image is the earliest known depiction of the building.

In 1820, John Benham bought the mill and adjoining land. It remained in his family for over 100 years, operating profitably as a corn mill. By the 1880s though, roller milling had largely replaced stone grinding, and milling ceased in the early 1900s.

Following its use as a laundry during the First World War, the mill was offered for sale in 1928. It was saved from demolition by a group of local benefactors who presented it to the National Trust. 

In 1931 part of the building was leased to the Youth Hostels Association. The mill became the first youth hostel for the London region of the Association, establishing a chain of hostels along the Pilgrims’ Way from Winchester to Canterbury. The hostel remained until 2004.

Little thought was given to milling flour again until the 1980s. Over the following decade a new waterwheel, gearing and millstones were acquired thanks to donations from the Science Museum, among others.

In 2003, millwright and restoration engineer Ian Clarke became involved. He worked through the winter to bring the equipment up to the standard required for milling.

The first milling demonstration open to the public took place in March 2004 after a gap in commercial production of around 90 years. The years since have seen continued repairs and improvements to the machinery.

In February 2023 the mill wheel was declared unsuitable for continued use and was decommissioned. However, efforts are currently made in raising the funds needed to restore the mill to full working order and start producing flour once again.

In conclusion, Winchester City Mill is a must-see for anyone interested in English history or just looking for a great day out. Today the mill welcomes over 50,000 visitors a year, and looks forward to its continuing future. Thank you for joining me on this tour, and I hope you have a wonderful day exploring the mill for yourself.