Stories of how they worked through history & why we should restore them today
Centuries ago wind mills were a feature all across the UK. It is thought that Crusaders brought the first designs from the Middle East in the 800s and the first record in England is of a mill in Yorkshire dating back to 1185.
The earliest we hear of in Cornwall was in records about a hundred years later, not far from Meadow Barns Centre, in the area of Windmill at Fowey. The base of the building survives in a surprisingly reasonable state of repair.
More local wind mills were recorded, with the standard use in those early times being to grind corn. Every adult male resident of the little hamlets going inland, either side of the Fowey Estuary, would dutifully pay their fee for corn and take it home to the wife, for making bread and cakes.
The Fowey Mill is listed so you may find out more of its history here https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1290443
Or take a look at a great source of all Mills history – The Mills Archive near Reading. You can sign up for events, a regular Newsletter and much more.
Clearly Caroline could have dived deep into Wind Mill history and found many stories, but she confesses that her greater love is for Water Mills. She decided to incorporate both Wind and Water into a Children’s song! Find the outline of what is available on the Home page, Catalogue page 15. OR read on for a little more about the voices you will hear in the stories.
Learning Conversations with Bob
Bob is one of the volunteers at Meadow Barns. He lives in a mill, where the water and power system dates back 800 years! Bridges Mill at Luxulyan stands like a guardian of the past, beside the Old Mill Leat as it enters a famous World Heritage Site, that is cut through by man-made water channels and the River Par. The WHS status puts Luxulyan on an equal level with Stonehenge!! Only here the recognition is not only of great granite structures but also of the mechanical water power, particularly as it was developed in the 1800s. We have heard Bob sum this up many times – Quote “water was their electricity!”
Caroline has collaborated with Bob and other local experts to create a set of stories about hydro of the past, whilst always thinking ahead for Climate Hope in future. Quite a bit of their research can be found in YouTube films, both for the general public and on a private channel for relevant experts. https://www.youtube.com/@meadowbarnscentre2538/playlists Much more content is available via One Drive link, so send a message if you would like to view.
The Water Mill picture above shows one of the films. The next illustrates how we can inspire families by transporting equipment to events such as this day, at Kresen Kernow.
