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Llanmihangel Mill and Farmhouse, Pyle.

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NPRN24129
Map ReferenceSS88SW
Grid ReferenceSS8192082350
Unitary (Local) AuthorityNeath Port Talbot
Old CountyGlamorgan
CommunityMargam
Type Of SiteBRIDGE
PeriodPost Medieval
Description
Built on the site of a medieval grist mill which was part of a monastic grange belonging to Margam Abbey, which was referred to in 1186 and 1291. On the dissolution of the monasteries, the estate was bought by Sir Rice Mansel, and the mill was mentioned again in 1675. The grist mill and farmhouse were occupied in 1814 by Hopkin Llywellyn, agent for the Margam estate, and the mill was rebuilt in the early C19 for grinding corn and operated until c1940.

The 3-storey mill is built into the bank at the north end and abuts the modernised farmhouse which is at right angles to the south. It is constructed of rubble sandstone, whitewashed on the east side, with a slate roof. The main range is orientated north-south, with a 2-storey wing to the west. The windows are 2-light casements with segmental stone heads, and the east wall has 3 small windows to the top floor and 4 to the 1st floor. That to the left is larger and contains a late C20 window. The ground floor has 1 window with plain glazing and a doorway to the left. The west wing has a doorway with stable doors facing into the yard and a window in the west gable; a concrete stable block adjoins the west end. Also running west off the west side of the mill is an open lean-to which faces the wing across the yard. To its left is the jamb of a blocked doorway leading into the mill. The north end of the mill has a 2-light window, while the north side of the wing has 2 blocked openings to the ground floor and a further blocked opening above and to the Rright

The mill-race approaches the N end of the mill from the NE in a stone-lined channel. Unusually, it turns at right angles to enter the gable end under a segmental brick head, and water was fed to the top of the wheel at right angles to the wheel axis. The wheel is housed in a stone-arched chamber below the gable end of the mill which is open to the west, where the tailrace emerges. It is of pitchback type, of wrought and cast iron with a timber shaft, by S F Kelly of Cardigan (operated 1870-1894).

The roof is constructed of bolted A-frame trusses in machine-cut timber and is likely to be a late C19 replacement. The attic floor retains a sack hoist pulley wheel and a grain bin, while the 1st floor has 3 mill stones with vats clustered around a large central timber shaft carrying the spur wheel, made of iron with wooden gearing teeth. Two small nuts drive from this. Belt drives and pulleys are fixed to the E and W walls, and there is a wooden platform to the N. The top floor of the wing has a simple collar truss roof, the ground floor has a flagstone floor with wooden partitions across the N end and is said to contain the remains of a dresser.

The farmhouse is modernised and not listed.

(Source; Cadw listing database) S Fielding RCAHMW 19/07/2005