Rock Mill Llandysul

Rock Mill Llandysul

The mill in September 2007
Location of Rock Mill Llandysul
Built 1890s
Location Capel Dewi, Llandysul, Ceredigion, Wales
Coordinates 52°03′25″N 4°15′41″W / 52.056881°N 4.261433°W / 52.056881; -4.261433Coordinates: 52°03′25″N 4°15′41″W / 52.056881°N 4.261433°W / 52.056881; -4.261433
Industry Woollen industry in Wales
Products Blankets, throws, rugs, shawls
Address www.rockmillwales.co.uk

Rock Mill Llandysul (Welsh: Melin Wlân), in Capel Dewi, Llandysul, Ceredigion, is the last woollen mill in Wales to be powered by a water wheel.

Location

The Mill lies in the narrow valley of Afon Clettwr, a tributary of the River Teifi, on a minor road about 0.5 kilometres (0.31 mi) south east of the church of St David in Capel Dewi.[1] Capel Dewi is about 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) east-north-east of Llandysul.[2] Water is carried to the wheel along a short leat from a weir on the river.[1]

History

During the Industrial Revolution the Teifi Valley became the centre of the Woollen industry in Wales, employing thousands of weavers, spinners, dyers, knitters, drapers and tailors.[3] The river and its tributaries powered dozens of mills, and sheep in the surrounding grassland supplied fleeces to be made into woollen products.[4] Rock Mill was built in the 1890s by the great grandfather of the present owner.[1] The two-storey mill is built of stone, with flagstone floors and low ceilings.[3] The mill has been operated continuously by the same family since its foundation as a spinning and weaving mill. Few changes have been made in that period.[1] The mill is now the only commercial woollen mill powered by water that is still operating in Wales.[5]

Today

The mill is powered by the original double cast-iron overshot water wheel made by the "Bridgend" foundry of Cardigan. The wheel is 12 feet (3.7 m) in diameter and 7 feet (2.1 m) wide. It drives line shafting through the mill which supplies a direct drive to the carding and spinning machines, and drives an electrical generator that powers two looms.[1] The mill is open to visitors from Spring to Autumn, and has a shop where textiles are sold.[1] The mill makes blankets with traditional "tapestry" (double-woven) designs.[6] Other woven or knitted products made from yarn produced in the mill include throws, rugs and shawls.[2]

Notes

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    Sources

    This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 12/5/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.