During our last day in Winchester we took another walk around the Cathedral grounds and walked along part of the city medieval wall which is made out of limestone rubble based on the Roman circuit,
and in the process we discovered the river walk
a bright, sunny day, it was wonderful.
We wondered what was behind these walls
and then came upon the only visible section of the city's Roman wall which was completed in the 3rd century AD, and enclosed an area of 144 acres.
We ended up at the City Mill which we had visited the day before.
The mill, on the other side of the bridge
is a working water mill that has stood here for over 1000 years
and is now a National Trust property.
The river Itchen and bridge.
Inside, we were able to see
the whole process of grain into flour: the miller empties sacks of grain via the wooden chute into the storage hopper
and the quartz millstones grind the grain into fine flour. We learnt that the attached bell provides a warning if the hopper becomes empty as this would lead to rapid wear and damage the stones.
We then went down to the mill race where a sluice gate in front of the water wheel is used to control the mill.
Raising the gate allows water to pass under the waterwheel and the force of the water makes the wheel turn. Closing the gate stoops the mill. The height of the sluice gate determines how much water hits the wheel and hence the speed of the mill.
The narrow current is swift and powerful
Next stop, the small garden at the back
which provided good views of the back of the mill.
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