Alwent Mill And Mill Race

NZ 11 NW GAINFORD ALWENT MILL LANE (North side, off)

Alwent Mill and 5/87 mill race

II GV

Water-powered mill for grinding corn. Dated 1792 with later C19 alterations. Dressed sandstone with ashlar mill race; cast-iron and timber mill wheel; pantiled roof with triple course of sandstone flags at eaves of central section and single row to left section. 2 storeys, 4 bays. Single-bay left section and quoined, single-bay central section project and have boarded door to left and two blocked openings to right. 2-bay right section has central Dutch door with flat surround and lintel dated 1792; first floor has two boarded openings. Roof has slightly-projecting eaves and raised verge to left.

Mill race enters to rear of left return via a wooden sluice. Stream formerly drove a high breast-shot water wheel, over 4 metres in diameter, which worked three pairs of different grindstones. Small, oat-drying kiln in room above waterwheel.

Alwent Mill is one of the few watermills in County Durham with its machinery still in situ and it remained in use until about 1948.

Single-storey addition to left is not of special interest.

(Vera Chapman, Rural Durham, 1977).

Listing NGR: NZ1452318368