Sometime ago we went to Worsbrough to visit a working flour mill which is located next to Worsbrough Reservoir. We toured the mill and then had a walk some way around the reservoir, or at least the younger members of the family walked further than I did that day. Looking back I'm pleased that I'm much fitter now and can do more walking. Nevertheless, it was a good afternoon.
There are guided tours of the mill by 'the miller' and lots of fun things for children to do such as the learning trail about Worsbrough and mill with clues to solve along the way. There's also a café with tables and benches so that visitors can sit outside in good weather and also a small shop where bags of flour, preserves, other related food and souvenirs can be purchased. It's well worth a visit.
The oldest part of the mill dates back to 1625, probably when Thomas Edmunds, the heir to Worsbrough Estate arranged for it to be built.
Visitors that look around the mill are actually standing in the extension that was built in 1840, the 'New Mill'. At this time millstones could be either driven by the waterwheel or a newly installed James Watt steam engine.
Some interesting families lived and worked in the mill over the centuries. William and Ann Shaw were millers during a time of prosperity for the mill. During this time engineers and navvies were cutting a canal and constructing the reservoir outside. The valley and fields disappeared as
they filled up with water and came within yards of the mill. William died in 1806, while Ann lived on till 1819.
The fireplace with initials and dates carved into the stone including William Shaw's.
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| Reg Steel |
The Steel family came to Worsbrough in the 1920s because their mill in Sheffield has been demolished to make way for another reservoir. They were a big family and the mill was extended by them to give them more room. When the head of the family, George, died his brother, Reg, took over and other brothers ran a threshing business in the yard. Reg had developed a hearing loss during WWI and was probably troubled by the noise of the machinery in the mill so wore a balaclava which got caked white with flour when he was working.
The mill pond behind the mill is where the water runs off.
The mill pond then runs into another water outlet and pond below as well as into the reservoir.
Across the other side of the reservoir is a bird hide and a place for leisure fishing.
the bird hide
I could see in the distance on the hills above the reservoir a large country house. I'm not sure which one it is although I looked on a map. Something to research more fully and perhaps visit in the future? (Later I found out that this was Wentworth Castle).
