Thursday 11/9/25  We saw a pair of swans in the river on the way to the mill, when we got there we noticed the bench seat opposite the mill had a back panel missing, so we put the bridge across and went over with tools to repair it.

The back panel had fallen out as the frame had split apart. The top is fixed to a post in the ground, so I went back to get the sledgehammer and knocked the post in further which closed the gap allowing us to refit the panel with extra screws. It was difficult to get the bridge across as brambles had grown around it, so Eddie cut them down.

Sunflowers and cosmos had fallen over so we put in more staples and wires to hold them in place. On the wildflower meadow the only flowers left are a solitary cornflower, corn chamomile and a small patch of marigolds. We'll cut the meadow down soon.

I went on the mower today and cut paths through the meadow. Andrew had already cut the track to the mill and some of the grass on site again. Eddie cut the rest of the grass, then used the push mower to cut the small areas while I filled the bird food.

Last week I cleared weeds at river level both sides of the wheel, this week I wore my Wellingtons and went into the river to get more tall weeds out which has cleared the area in front of the wheel.

Debra and Hector walked down to see us, Hector went straight into the river and we threw his favourite ball and a stick, he came back with both in his mouth together. Emma also joined us and we all discussed the open days in just over a week.

Debra and Hector walked back, Emma weeded the brick floors while Eddie and I painted the black parts of the bench seat and table, we had already painted the green parts. On our way back Emma spotted a pair of little egrets on the riverside track. 

Saturday 13/9/25  Five of us had an extra day preparing for the open days next weekend. Fred and Debra cut brambles and hedges along the track so there is room for our transport vehicles, Debra said they took six trailer loads of cuttings to the fire site.

Fred also mowed the Nar Valley Way opposite the mill and cut grass between the wagon and river wall. Debra and David used petrol strimmers all around the site. Emma weeded the Hammer Mill, brick floor and Cistern and cooked fried egg rolls for our lunch which we had outside.

I oiled the mechanism of the donation box and tightened a screw holding the water wheel axle, then it worked perfectly. I repaired a broken river side sign post and mounted the 10 year anniversary display board on the table. I also cleaned the glass panels over the brick floors and the Perspex water wheel hub cover on the walkway.

I went across to the brick pier next to the water wheel with a spade and scraped ivy off the wall, then went down the ladder into the river to clean the HLF sign on the river wall. I used our battery strimmer around the compost bay and wood store to clear nettles.

Fred and Debra cleared a fallen tree from the track below the mill, then loaded thick weeds and soil from our compost bays into the tractor trailer which Fred took to The Maltings, as thick weeds and soil don’t rot down. Hector the red labrador was with us, he followed me around when I was working and enjoyed fetching his ball from the river.

Debra and I used hedgecutters to clear ivy from the two metal stanch fittings which held the lock gates. The last job was cleaning the seats in the trailer and sweeping it out ready for taking visitors to the open days.

Wednesday 17/9/25  Eddie was not available this Thursday so we had our work party a day earlier. It was raining hard in the morning so we tested the windscreen wiper we recently fitted to the Gator truck on the way to the mill. I had charged the battery so it started more easily and Fred repaired the slow puncture in the front tyre, so its now ready for taking visitors to the mill in our trailer with seats.

It rained all morning so we worked in the buildings. Eddie switched on the nest cameras in the wagon, the stock doves have fledged and we noticed there are cobwebs in the great tit box which we’ll clean out. Eddie swept the wagon floor and I tidied up.

I went to the visitor centre and got finds to go with the 10 year anniversary and mill workers displays, I put them in a box with their labels. Eddie and I cleaned and dried the outdoor chairs and stacked them in the visitor centre.

We then went to the shed and tidied it, Eddie swept the work bench and floor. The weather improved later so Eddie filled the bird feeders and we saw great tits, blue tits and a robin. Swallows were flying low over the mill when we were outside. 

I put the fences back around the trench beside the damaged wall to keep visitors a safe distance from it. Cosmos are still flowering well in the garden in front of the visitor centre. We took the full recycle bins back to empty into the black bin at The Maltings.

Thursday 18/9/25  I went to the mill in the afternoon and put the bridge across so Jan and Mary could cross over from their walk along the footpath to look around the mill, I put the screens on showing the water wheel turning, the model mill and meadow in flower. We had tea and biscuits outside, then Jan and Mary walked back to The Maltings, they saw a little egret and a heron.

I strimmed under the bench on the footpath, topped up the card box on our notice board and mowed paths through the wildflower meadow. Emma cleaned the visitor centre and wagon and we sorted out posters, bunting and albums for the open days this weekend.

Graham Bartlett  

Interactive Plan      Activity       Volunteer       Previous  Next   Projects     Mill Workers