Built in 1813 on the site of the former Blackpool ironworks. The mill was designed for symmetry, with a central main entrance and with its main block flanked by equal low wings at each end. The original water-wheel was 4.5 m diameter and 3.5 m in width, on a wrought-iron shaft and was beneath the main block of the mill. New machinery was installed by Armfield in 1910 powered by a turbine and continued in use until after the second World War. In 1958 the mill was converted to electricity. In 1968 a program of restoration of the mill was commenced by Lady Victoria Dashwood to convert the mill to a tourist attraction. This in turn failed and since then the building has fallen into a state of disrepair. Previously the owners of Bluestone National Parks Resort produced a £2.5million plan to restore the mill by incorporating it into its tourist facilities. As the mill has failed as a flour mill and as a museum because of lack of turnover it must become a sustainable project. Although the Parks Authority have approved the conversion, they didn't approved the supporting works to generate the funds to make the mill viable and sustainable as an Education facility, a Tourist attraction and one that would have created around 60 new jobs by the erection of a new events barn and other facilities. After spending around £250,000 on the application it was withdrawn.
|