Tour of the Mill

Go through the mill and outside at the back. 

• See the power that makes the water wheel turn.The power is supplied by the river Loddon.
   
• See how the water level of the river is controlled by sluices and a weir.
   
• See how boards are placed in the water above the weir to divert the water to the mill wheel.

Step inside to look at the Water Wheel

(Danger!  Keep well back from the wheel)

• See the sluice mechanism that regulates water flow to drive the wheel. Sluices are large boards that can be moved up and down. The only way to stop the wheel is to shut these sluices.
   
• See the water running under the wheel to make it turn (this is called an ‘undershot’ water wheel).
   
• Look at the size of water wheel – it is very powerful and the largest in Hampshire.

Longbridge Mill in 1912 with white paint on the bricks (you can still see
it if you look carefully). Look how much wider the river was then.

Go into the display area

• See the paintings on the wall that depict the seasons of the Victorian farming year.
   
• See the display of wheat products.

Go through the exhibition and onto the ground floor

• See the pit wheel that drives all the machinery in the mill
   
• See the cogs on the wheels.Some are made of iron and some of wood.What is the reason for this?

Climb to the First Floor - This is the 'Stones Floor'. 

Use the stairs in the restaurant

• See the trap doors of the sack hoist. This hoist takes the sacks of grain to the 'Bins Floor' above your head.All the grain is stored there. (Please Note: There is no public access to the Bin’s floor)
   
• See how the grain comes down through a chute and into the ‘hopper’
   
• See the French Burr milling stones that mill the grain into flour.
   
• See how the top stone turns while the bottom stone stays still.
   
• See the bell (called a ‘damsel’ bell).It rings to tell the Miller when the hopper is empty
   
• See the positions of four sets of stones.
   
• When these were all working they could mill up to four products at once - maybe oats for the horses, peas and beans, wheat flour and barley.
   
• See the Victorian crane that lifts the stones, when they need 'dressing'.
   
• See the grooves on the display stone. As the stone turns, these groves take the flour outwards and then down the chute.

Finally, return to the ground floor

• See where the milled products are delivered into sacks or into the large wooden ark.
   
• See the ‘tentering’ adjustment wheel that regulates the space between the stones.
   
• See the display of ‘Bread through the Ages’.
   
• If the mill is working, you will see the flour being bagged up, and you can taste some bread made from the flour.
   
• The mill produces wholemeal stone-ground organic flour. It is on sale in the restaurant.

ENJOY YOUR VISIT!

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