Llanfechell Mills

with thanks to Ms Brenda Jones, Mrs Glenys Jones and her daughter Siân

Anglesey Water Mills date back to Roman times- the shaft running across, not upwards.

Water and Wind Mills cannot be dated like Churches, because of wear and tear.

Click on all photographs to see a larger versions

Part of the shaft remaining at Meddanen Water Mill

The remains of a cog wheel at Meddanen Water Mill

As the population increased, the grinding process improved. The grinding stones were placed horizontally. There was a dent in the lower stone , while the upper stone had a hole through its centre so that a handle could be fixed through it to turn it. Women usually carried out the work. There is reference to this in the New Testament and in the Laws of Hywel Dda.

The next step was the cog wheel. A shaft was placed through the centre of the lower stone and fixed to the upper stone. This form of grinding was done, by the use of a harnessed horse or mule walking round the mill

Main Entrance to Meddanen Water Mill today

Water for working Bwchanan Water Mill came from the Mill Pond. There was very little use of the Mill during the summer, because of the low water level in the Meddanen.

Water flows from Llyn Bwch into Meddanen River.

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Grinding stones for the Mills came from Penmon and Benllech Quarries, the best being Bwlchgwyn in Anglesey . At a later date grinding stones came from the Rhine Valley.

In 1314 the cost of a grinding stone was 28/9d.

They measured approximately 4 feet across and weighed approximately a ton.
 
The surface of the grinding stone was divided into segments called harps with each segment divided into furrows known by the following names  – Butterfly Furrow; Journeyman Furrow; Apprentice and Master. The hole in the centre was called the 'Eye'.

The Millwright would dress (clean) the stones during winter using a small double bladed pick.

Soot and a wooden plank would be used to ensure that the surface was level.

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 Cafnan Mill stands on the River Cafnan in Porth y Pistyll, between Wylfa and Cemlyn. There is evidence of the Mill in the 16th Century, and it is possible that there was a mill on the site in the 13th Century. It is likely that Cathaern Mill was the original mill on the Cafnan site.

In 1614 there is documentation of the Millers of Cafnan : David ap Hugh (25 years old), Ednyfed ap William (35 years old), Robert ap David, and his son Rowland ap Robert ap David (25 years old).

In 1637 Richard ap Hugh, the Miller of Cafnan Mill paid the sum of 5/- (25p) of Ship Rate - i.e the same tax that caused the war between Parliament and Charles 1st. A craftsman ( for example, a stone mason, miller or carpenter) would have been paid about 1/- a day a century later according to William Bulkeley of Brynddu.

In William Bulkeley's Diary of 1740, there is mention of a dispute between two land owners over Melin Gafnan. On 4th October he accompanied his brother in law, Mr Lewis, LLysdulas and Mr Lewis Morris (Custom-house Surveyor of Holyhead) to survey the road to the Mill through Cafnan Farm. The reason being that John Griffith of Carreglwyd denied that a road to the Mill went through Cafnan Farm and refused anyone access to it.

On 17th May, 1740, Mr Lewis, Llysdulas, Mr William Bulkeley, Mr Griffith, Carreglwyd and three witnesses met to settle the matter of access to Cafnan Mill. John Griffiths of Garreglwyd stated that Mr William Hughes of Wylfa had told him that there was no access to the Mill through Cafnan Farm. Mr Hughes was adamant that he had said no such thing. Having walked along the route it was decided that Mr Lewis, Llysdulas and Mr Griffith, Carreglwyd would share the cost of placing a gate at the end of the road and that was the end of the matter.

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Richard Hughes, a Welsh Poet wrote the following verse at Cemaes Eisteddfod in the Eighteenth Century-

'Hen Afon Fawr Cafnan fyth enwog waith Arian,
Rwyn gweled ei dwylan mewn dyffryn a  dôl
A chwyrn ar ei hechrwyn ceir maliad tair melin
Tra rhed y law-forwyn lifeiriol'

'Old Cafnan Great River forever famed silver flow,
Seen in both meadow and valley
And on its banks three mills be seen
As the streaming maiden flows.'

Cafnan Mill – 1993

 According to a National Trust Survey, it is believed that the machinery in the Mill dates back to 1840 and is in reasonably good condition. The flow of the Mill stream was diverted from Cafnan River to flow over the wheel when the mill was working- when it was not working, the stream was diverted to run beneath the wheel towards the beach.

The wheel is still there today but there is no stream.

In 1931, Lucy Williams,of Holyhead noted that the mill stream was by then a part of Cestyll Gardens owned by Lady Violet Vivian . When Cestyll Gardens were designed the stream was diverted to the garden to join Cafnan River and to flow towards the sea under a series of stone foot bridges.

Today Cestyll is owned by Wylfa and the Mill forms part of this beautiful garden.

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The Windmill has more than one name- Mechell Mill, Minffordd Mill and Maen Arthur Mill (as shown on the map). It is situated on the side of the road leading from Llanfechell to Mynydd Mechell. There is no record as to when it was built and it is not mentioned in William Bulkeley's Diaries,(1734-1743 and 1747-1760) although he does mention employing a Mill Carpenter for 1/- (5p) in April 1756, but does not say which Mill. Certainly the Mill stood on land owned by the Brynddu Estate. 

By the end of the 19th Century there is evidence that it was worked by a family called Parry and this is noted in all the censuses from 1841-1901

January 1982

1993

1993

PEN SINGRIG

 While researching this project the writers came across earlier work by the late Mrs Maggie Williams of Tan Rallt, which noted a row of cattages, and interestingly there was a house named Pen Singrig situated between the Wind Mill and the Water Mill (there is no evidence of a house there today), but there are some stones by the kissing gate. Perhaps it may have been there.

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 According to the Census for 1841 John Thomas  Miller/Farmer lived at Pen Singrig.

 According to the 1851 Census Richard Williams, Mill Carrier lived there.

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PANT Y GŴYDD MILL

Pant y Gŵydd Mill which is mentioned in the old verse, 'Melinau Môn' (Anglesey Mills), stands on the road from Mynydd Mechell to Carreglefn and in the old days was in the parish of Llanbadrig.

There is not much documentation about this Mill, which today forms part of a house. It is believed that the Mill dates back to the early part of the 18th century and stopped working in the 19th century. There is very little evidence about this Mill. It is not mentioned in the Tythe Map of 1844 or in the 1840 Ordnance Survey map, There is no reference to it in the diaries of William Bulkeley.

One reason given, as to why it had such a short life, and for its closure while other mills in Ynys Môn were at their height both in numbers and productivity, was its location. Although Pant y Gŵydd was situated on high ground, open and windy, the surrounding land was unsuitable for growing corn - the wild beauty of Mynydd Mechell with its heather, gorse and rocks. Because of this, grain would have to be carried there from quite a distance and as other mills were being built in more suitable locations the Pant y Gŵydd Mill stopped working and was forgotten except for the following verse-

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There is no documentation of any Mill rate for Melin Minffordd, but in 1744 there is documentation –
Margaret Owen Pant y Gwydd 10/-                     

                                   Richard Owen Melin y Nant                                    5/5 ½
                                                

The rule was that the Miller had to grind the Landlord's corn first, then permitted to sell the remaining flour :-

                                                                        1760 – 3/4c a bushel
                                                                        1794 – 8/- a  bushel
                                                                        1804 – 10/- a bushel

Flour from Ynys Môn Mills were transported during the two World Wars - MÔN MAM CYMRU  ( MÔN THE MOTHER OF WALES

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TODAY'S WINDMILLS