Cofnod Safle

Felin Rhyd-hir is a two-storey stone built water-powered corn mill under a pitched slated roof. The composite overshot waterwheel, with cast iron shrouds and hubs, and wooden axle, spokes and buckets, remains in situ on the north west gable wall. It was supplied by a pond to the north of the mill, fed from the Afon Rhyd-hir via a 1.7 km long leat which also captured the tailrace water from Melin Llannor (NPRN 411677) . The corn drying kiln was integral with the mill, at the south eastern end. When the building was converted for use as a dwelling in the 1970s, the structure of the kiln was removed but the slatted wooden cupola roof vent was retained. Inside, the mill machinery remains in situ behind the boarded hurst frame, with the cast iron pit wheel and wallower, and great spur wheel on a wooden upright main shaft which drove two pairs of stones. Outside the hurst frame there are iron shafts carrying wooden pulleys to drive the sack hoist and flour dressing machines. On the floor above the stones and their wooden tuns and hoppers remain in position, and the sack hoist spindle is still in situ in the roof space.
The mill building was originally built into the bank which retained the millpond, but the bank was dug out at the time of conversion to a dwelling. Adjacent to the north-west is the former mill house, now partially collapsed, which is thought to be earlier than the existing mill, possibly late eighteenth century. Although the construction of the mill house from large, rounded boulders follows the local vernacular style, the arrangement of the two buildings in alignment suggests a tendency from local style to an imported, industrial style.
W J Crompton, RCAHMW, 2 December 2010.