Construction.

Located on the south bank of the river Stour the mill is a two storied construction with basement and attic. Its walls are of Ashlar stone, coursed rubble and English-bonded brickwork. It is roofed with stone slates and tiles.

The plan is V-shaped with the north wing projecting into the river, while the east wing, which adjoins the south end of the north wing at right angles,stands on the river bank.    An opening for sluices and presumably for an earlier water wheel is at the south end of the north wing.

The basement of the north wing is of ashlar while above flood level they are constructed of brick. The east wing is made of coursed rubble with ashlar quoins and dressings. The gabled east wall of the east wing has a cart entrance with ashlar jambs;a long stone lintel and a hollowed chamfered string-course above it. Interestingly on the south jamb about 1.5m above ground level is a flood level mark dated 1766.  The north east corner is of ashlar and, at its base, running down to the river, it has a diagonal, two stage buttress with weathered offsets. and

The south wall is of coursed rubble below and ashlar above. At the eaves is an ogee-moulded

hollow chamfered cornice. The north wing has wooden casement windows with segmental beads in both upper stories.
Extract from Royal Commission on Historical Monuments, Dorset Central Part II. Published 1970

The Millstones

Millstones are used in pairs (Bedstone and Runner stone). Carefully and methodically designed grooves are cut into the face of the stones, it is these cut faces, rotating against each other, that grind the grain.  There are two main types of stone used: Derbyshire pea stone is used for grinding grit for cattle feed while French Burr stones, made with pieces bound together with iron bands, are used for flour.  When the mill is in full production it is necessary to re-cut the stones frequently.  

Moving a heavy millstone weighing several hundredweight is no easy task and various mechanical aids were used to raise and turn over a stone ready for dressing.  Apart from wedges and levers a stone crane was often used which raised the stone by means of a screw jack.  Wear on the stones is not even, so the high spots were found by a jack stick, coated with raddle (red ochre), fitted through a hole in the bedstone, while being swept around the surface.  The next stage is knocking down. This procedure was carried out by first marking the furrows using a swans feather dipped in raddle.  The furrows were then deepened by a mill pick.  The Landis or the high ground between furrows are called cracking; these cut the bran cleanly from the grain kern.

The maximum working life one could expect from a well maintained stone was 20 - 25 years.

To view a sketch of the internal workings of the mill click here.