Winchester City Mill, Winchester
Winchester City Mill, a meticulously restored water mill nestled along the picturesque River Itchen, stands as a testament to centuries of milling history. Owned by the National Trust, this Grade II* listed building has been a key part of Winchester's landscape for over a millennium.
The mill's roots trace back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it was recorded as milling corn. However, earlier references in cathedral records date as far back as 932. In 989, Queen Aelfthryth passed the mill to the nuns of Wherwell Abbey. Some of the timbers in the mill, identified through dendrochronological measurements, date back to the 11th century, adding to its historical significance.
Originally named Eastgate Mill due to its location just outside the city's east gate, it later became known as City Mill when Queen Mary bestowed it upon the city following her marriage to Philip I of Spain in Winchester Cathedral in 1554. The mill underwent its last major reconstruction in 1744 by James Cook, a tanner. A sketch by J.M.W Turner from 1795 reveals that the building and millraces have remained relatively unchanged since that time.
In 1820, the Corporation sold the mill to the Benham family, who owned it until the early 1900s. Financial challenges arose in the late 1890s due to competition from neighboring mills, and by 1910, City Mill had ceased operations. Following a stint as a laundry during World War I, the mill fell into disrepair. In 1928, facing the threat of demolition, the mill was saved by a group of benefactors who purchased it and presented it to the National Trust. In 1931, the Youth Hostels Association leased the mill for use as a hostel, a role it fulfilled until 2005.
A twelve-year restoration program culminated in 2004, marking the first time in at least 90 years that the mill once again milled flour using water power. The mill building now houses a National Trust cafe and shop. In collaboration with the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust and the Environment Agency, night-vision cameras monitor the river passing under the mill, capturing images of otters. These recordings are displayed on a monitor in the stone floor area, offering visitors a glimpse into the local wildlife.
The mill's roots trace back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it was recorded as milling corn. However, earlier references in cathedral records date as far back as 932. In 989, Queen Aelfthryth passed the mill to the nuns of Wherwell Abbey. Some of the timbers in the mill, identified through dendrochronological measurements, date back to the 11th century, adding to its historical significance.
Originally named Eastgate Mill due to its location just outside the city's east gate, it later became known as City Mill when Queen Mary bestowed it upon the city following her marriage to Philip I of Spain in Winchester Cathedral in 1554. The mill underwent its last major reconstruction in 1744 by James Cook, a tanner. A sketch by J.M.W Turner from 1795 reveals that the building and millraces have remained relatively unchanged since that time.
In 1820, the Corporation sold the mill to the Benham family, who owned it until the early 1900s. Financial challenges arose in the late 1890s due to competition from neighboring mills, and by 1910, City Mill had ceased operations. Following a stint as a laundry during World War I, the mill fell into disrepair. In 1928, facing the threat of demolition, the mill was saved by a group of benefactors who purchased it and presented it to the National Trust. In 1931, the Youth Hostels Association leased the mill for use as a hostel, a role it fulfilled until 2005.
A twelve-year restoration program culminated in 2004, marking the first time in at least 90 years that the mill once again milled flour using water power. The mill building now houses a National Trust cafe and shop. In collaboration with the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust and the Environment Agency, night-vision cameras monitor the river passing under the mill, capturing images of otters. These recordings are displayed on a monitor in the stone floor area, offering visitors a glimpse into the local wildlife.
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Winchester City Mill on Map
Sight Name: Winchester City Mill
Sight Location: Winchester, England (See walking tours in Winchester)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Winchester, England (See walking tours in Winchester)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Winchester, England
Create Your Own Walk in Winchester
Creating your own self-guided walk in Winchester is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Winchester's Historical Buildings Walking Tour
Are you an explorer at heart and with a keen interest in history? If you answer yes to both of these and happen to be in Winchester, Hampshire, then you've hit the right spot! There are several historical locations in town, including time-honored buildings, monuments, and palaces, through which you can learn much about its glorious past.
The abundance of such sites makes a walk around... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.1 Km or 1.9 Miles
The abundance of such sites makes a walk around... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.1 Km or 1.9 Miles
Winchester Cathedral Close Walk
Winchester Cathedral, originally built in 1079, is the longest Gothic cathedral in Europe. It contains much fine architecture spanning the 11th to the 16th centuries and is the place of interment of numerous Bishops of Winchester (such as William of Wykeham), Anglo-Saxon monarchs (such as Egbert of Wessex), and later monarchs such as King Canute and William Rufus. It was once an important... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 0.8 Km or 0.5 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 0.8 Km or 0.5 Miles
Winchester Introduction Walking Tour
Winchester, the county town of Hampshire, England, is a charming place with a great deal of history.
The name, Winchester, is traced back to its Old English origins, derived from "Wintan-ceaster" which means "Fort Venta". The city itself emerged in Roman times when it was known as Venta Belgarum, in which Venta was a common Celtic word for a "tribal town" or... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.7 Km or 2.3 Miles
The name, Winchester, is traced back to its Old English origins, derived from "Wintan-ceaster" which means "Fort Venta". The city itself emerged in Roman times when it was known as Venta Belgarum, in which Venta was a common Celtic word for a "tribal town" or... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.7 Km or 2.3 Miles