THE SITE

Our little but dynamic site has infinite intricacies and character.

The newly reopened historic driveway (currently undriveable) had not been used in some 70 years. We opened it up in February 2022, thinking it was only a matter of weeks before the site was officially ours.

It brings the visitors into the “courtyard” with the mill ahead, kilns to the left, and cottage to the right. One mill race comes from behind, the other from the left. They meet in front of the mill and off they go to the right, through an old eel trap. At each gable a small stream detaches to serve a water wheel and goes off to rejoin the river off-site.

As a result, a myriad or bridges are needed to navigate around the site. There are a couple of concrete ones that recently replaced the massive flagstones, which had unfortunately collapsed. Then there are the scaffolding boards and pallets that we use to get around. And then there is the bridge we built. All in our own. From the ash trees we had to take down because they were growing out of the mill. One day we will build a rope bridge.

We have a little bit of a field, beyond the fish pass (old mill pond overflow) which will hopefully become an integrated constructed wetland for the treatment of the wastewater. We’re hoping it’ll encourage biodiversity and become somewhat of a “garden” with log piles, installations, nest boxes and maybe the odd photovoltaic panel.

Speaking of gardens, we have started growing our own produce. Not much to brag about, started it all a little too late and next year the “field” will be used to treat poop water so the beds are moving to the front of the house. There is nowhere near enough space for all the different seeds we have, but next year might be a little too busy for gardening…

 

We planted some hedges earlier in the year and most of them survived, despite the unfortunate timing. We are planning on planting a lot more and will be sharing our planting plan as we go.

But first things first, immediate priorities before Spring 2023:

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• stop flood water from getting into the grinding wheel pit ✓

• sort out electricity / build a micro-hydro wheel - abandoned - moved to some time in  the future

• connect mains water ✓

• improve access driveway ✓

• clear "orientation area"  ✓

• put up a shed for storage / workshop

• clear and plug vegetation around buildings (dodgy ash trees)  ✓

• plant more hedgerows  ✓

• make area around eel trap safe and generally improve access / movement around site - in progress

• get planning for the wastewater area ✓

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Works anticipated for 2023:

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• get planning for plant room - in progress

• build sluice gate

• build a plant room and sort out equipment

• build a micro-hydro wheel

• build Integrated Constructed Wetland and install septic tank - in progress

• sort out shower