The West Country's finest working water mill, built in 1680 and on the River Avill, the mill is
set in magnificent surroundings alongside the River Avill overlooking Exmoor
National Park, only minutes from Dunster Castle and High Street.
Dunster Water Mill - dating from 1680, beside the River Avill
See how flour is produced as the wheat grain is fed down to the grinding stones
before being bagged up for local shops.
bserve the fascinating collection of ancient agricultural machinery in the
integral museum.
Visit the Mill Shop, where the stone ground wholemeal flour, home-made muesli
and other products are available.
Morning coffee, home-made cakes and scones,
cream teas, light lunches may be enjoyed in our delightful tea room or riverside
garden.
The Doomsday Book mentions Dunster as having two working watermills. Dunster Watermill with its two working wheels is regarded as the finest example of its kind in the West Country.
Dunster Water Mill - the corn grinding machinery
Work to restore Dunster's 17th Century working water mill was completed in 2007 thanks to
funding from the Exmoor Sustainable Development Fund, provided by Defra and the South West Rural Development Agency, and administered by the Exmoor National Park Authority.
Extensive use and exposure to the elements had left the two water wheels, launder and viewing platform in a poor condition. The restoration work to the main water wheel has now been completed and will help to ensure the survival of one of Dunster's key attractions and tourism businesses.
The mill, which is owned by the National Trust, still operates as a working water mill producing between 6-8 tonnes of organic flour per annum. The mill, tea rooms and gardens are open to the public and some 10,000 people visit every year.
The present mill was thought to have been built on the site of a previous one in 1680. Indeed, the Doomesday Book mentions Dunster as having two working mills, so quite possibly milling has taken place on the site for some 900 years. With its two wheels, the mill is regarded as the finest example of its kind in the West Country, and one of only three or four left in the country. |
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