Crakehall Watermill
Milling for a Millennium
A mill was recorded here in Little Crakehall in the Domesday Survey of 1086AD. The current mill dates mainly from the 17th century and is an excellent example of a country corn mill. It was once owned by the famed Neville family of Middleham Castle but became Crown Property in the 15th century and was sold by James I in 1624.
Milling ceased around 1930 and it lay derelict until restoration of the building and machinery was begun by a previous owner in 1977 and it is he who should be credited with saving the mill from being demolished when the Mill and the Mill House were Listed – Grade II.. By 1980, the labour of love was complete and it began to grind corn again.
The mill closed once more in 2002, its machinery in need of costly repairs.
Click on images above to enlarge view.
Following further extensive skilled repairs in 2010, the mill is once again harnessing the beck’s natural energy to grind wheat and spelt grain, grown just a few miles away when supplies are available, and dependent on harvest to produce Crakehall Watermill 100% Stoneground Wholemeal Flour ‘Crakehall’s Finest’ that is perfect for bread making.
Repairs are always on-going to maintain the fabric of the mill and its machinery,
The 2010 repair work was filmed by award-winning production company Keo Films, responsible for Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s River Cottage series, and was shown in a major BBC TV series: "The Big Bread Experiment" on BBC 2 in 2011 and other channels since. Crakehall Watermill became a star of the series when first shown on BBC2 in December 2011. The program followed the establishment of Bedale Community Bakery – ‘Bread … Actually’ – in Bedale, which became the newly-reopened Crakehall Watermill’s first customer. The series was broadcast again in January / February 2014.
Matt Baker and the Countryfile team also visited for a July 2011 broadcast.
Visits to this working mill are possible, but it is not open on a regular weekly basis. We are happy to show pre-booked groups around the mill, where time permits. Alternatively do join us on one of our watermill Open Days, generally the 1st Sunday of the month between April and October
For more information please contact Alison Barnes & Lionel Green
Lionel Green and Alison Barnes
Crakehall Watermill
Little Crakehall
Bedale
DL8 1HU
Phone: 01677 423240
Visit: www.crakehallwatermillcottages.co.uk/ where more details can be found on our Watermill and Our Flour pages.