Longbridge Mill

Tel: 01256 883483

The river Loddon and the back of the Mill as it was in 1989 before
the fire and restoration, from a painting by Sheena Archer.

Background History

There has been a mill on this site for hundreds of years, one of many mills on the river Loddon.  There is evidence that a mill existed 800 years ago.  It is recorded that a man called 'John the Miller' lived in Sherfield.

Structural evidence indicates that the building you see now housing the milling machinery is of 15th century origin, and that the granary (now incorporated in the restaurant) was added in the 16th century. 

At the height of its success, 'Lodgridge Mill' at 'Shirefield-upon-Loddon,' was a major   industry in the area.  There may have been two water-wheels that powered the four sets of milling stones. These produced a wide variety of milled products for both humans and animals. The water-wheels also provided the power to pump water to the manor house, over a mile away, which is now Sherfield School.  Heavy horses hauled carts loaded with sacks of grain to the mill, where it was stored in the granary until it was milled.

The 18th and 19th Century Millers

George Woodruffe, was the miller at Longbridge for most of his working life.  He built a grain drying store in 1782 which was the last extension to the mill.

After Woodruffe, the millers changed frequently.  Until, in the late 1880's, Charles and Fanny Lailey moved into the mill with their nine year old son Charles Jnr., who even at that young age began to work with his father.  Four generations of the Lailey's lived at the mill for almost a century.

In 1977 milling at Longbridge ceased although Harold Lailey remained there as water bailiff.

In 1991, a disastrous fire destroyed some of the buildings.  The remainder of the buildings lay abandoned until they were bought by Mill House Inns in 1996.  A major restoration programme began on the derelict water wheel and milling equipment.  The mill is now fully restored.  What you see today is what the mill would have looked like in Victorian times – albeit with much less dust, with more concern for your safety, and without the need for 15 or more cats to keep the rats away!

Tour of the Mill

Click here for our "Tour of the Mill"

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