Visit to Winchester City Mill, UK
Over the Easter weekend I was able to visit Winchester City Mill, an historic restored watermill operated by the National Trust.
The mill has regular demonstrations of stone-grinding whole grain flour, which is also on sale to the public. It was a really enjoyable and informative visit.
The mill is located at the east end of the city, close to the Guildhall. Staff and volunteers were both enthusiastic and extremely informative about the history, mechanics and operation of the mill. A bag of their flour came home with me bro some baking, starting with Ken Forkish's 50% Whole Wheat Bread with Biga, which is proving in banettons as I write.
Urban water mills are rare, even in historic England. What was particularly noticeable was the power of the River Itchen rushing underneath the mill and that the entire building resonates to the millstones as they rotate.
The mill has educational resources suitable for both adults and children, and some recipe cards to suggest uses for the flour. Well worth the trip. More information at National Trust page for Winchester City Mill.
How wonderful that the mill has been preserved and is still in operation. It is a beautiful building and the white water rushing under it is indeed impressive. Thank you for your post. embth
I love going to Otterton Mill in Devon - but it's a 45 minute drive from me and their flour is expensive - even by the 25Kg sack, so it's not at all cost effective. They mill the usual organic Dorset Maris Widgeon which they mix in some canadian to make a stronger bread flour with - it's very nice, but I can get more or less the same stoneground, cheaper and delivered.
But yes - not many traditional mills left and always a joy to visit on milling days.
Colin: Check the flour you got - if it's Dorset (Tamarisk Farm) Maris Wigeon, it'll be fairly low in gluten - good luck!
-Gordon