Pilcot Mill  - Alison Stott

The HMG June general meeting was hosted at Pilcot Mill by Julie Banks and her son Matthew and after a short meeting chaired by Dave Plunkett we had an excellent barbecue.  Julie gave a short talk on Pilcot House bought by her parents in 1977 and Pilcot Mill bought from a neighbour later.  There is a restrictive covenant on the mill so that it can only be used for storage and milling.  HMG's help and knowledge have been invaluable in the past and, as Julie plans to make Pilcot her permanent home, HMG will be called on for help with future restoration and repair.

After the main barbecue Julie showed members round the inside of the mill where we were able to take photographs and remember previous visits to clean and repair.  Then there was fruit, cakes, and much tidying up.

will be called on for help with future restoration and repair.

Kildonan Mill, Isle of Arran  - Keith Andrews

There is now no trace of the water mill at Kildonan on the Isle of Arran.  According to the booklet History of the Villages of the Isle of Arran by Arran Scottish Women's Rural Institute that I found in our holiday cottage, it had an interesting method of operation, as follows:

The meal mill not only did a good trade in corn grinding, but also seemed to do a roaring trade in illicit whisky making.  At this time the stills were concealed from the Excisemen in hollows up the banks of the burns.  When the miller was ready to grind the corn he rode on a white pony up to the hills above Kildonan to Loch Garbhad and opened the sluice gates by removing a scone-shaped stone and allowing the water to flow down the burn.  He arrived back at the mill at the same time as the released water.

Eling Tide Mill - from the Eling Experience Project Newsletter

Work has begun on the improvements to access around Eling Creek and restarted on Eling Tide Mill and visitor centre. Our main contractors are all now on site.

HP Contracts have been working inside the mill to open up the interior to improve visibility and access for visitors, and strip out the old shop fittings.  New fixtures and fittings have been fabricated off-site, and will be installed during July.  Repairs to the external façade of the mill are planned for August/September.  We expect the main mill refurbishment to be complete in October, with internal fit-out due to finish in December.

Contractor Herbert H Drew Ltd has begun work on improving footpaths and tracks to Bartley Water and Goatee Beach to provide better access for wheelchairs and pushchairs.  Contractor Brymor Ltd has set up their site compound next to the tide mill for their work on the Visitor Centre.

Quidhampton Mill - from Richard Waldram

Further to my articles in the last 2 newsletters, I have come across an advert in the Hampshire Chronicle dated 23 November 1872:

TO MILLERS – TO LET

With immediate possession, a CORN and FLOUR mill, working two pairs of stones.  Water supply good.  Situate within a quarter of a mile from Overton Station on the SWR. 

Apply to Mr R Pickett, Quidhampton Mill, Overton, Hants.

All the machinery associated with the existing wheel remains intact so we know it only drove one pair of stones.  ​This proves my arguments that there was a second water wheel in the building because there were two pairs of stones.

Editor’s note:  Mick Edgeworth also visited this mill, but a long time ago, and he thinks that it had 3 pairs of stones.