An 18th-century watermill in Bilsdale, North Yorkshire, is back in the spotlight after its listed status was upgraded to Grade II*, and its owner says he wants to see it running again.
George Harrison, 94, restored Low Mill with his wife, Hazel, earlier this century. The building is now out of action, and Harrison says he would like to bring it back into use, both to honor Hazel, who died in 2023, and to help secure the mill’s future with a new owner.
According to Historic England, Low Mill is recorded in documents from 1538 and 1641, and it was largely rebuilt on its current site between 1785 and 1786. The mill had been Grade II listed since 1990, and its listing has now been upgraded by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on the advice of Historic England. The higher grading means it is classed as a particularly important building of more than special interest, and Historic England said any future changes would be carefully considered to protect the building’s historic character.
Historic England also highlighted the mill’s machinery, calling it rare and remarkably complete, including much of what was installed in 1785. The organization said the equipment is especially significant because it can still be operated. Harrison described the sound of the working mill as a kind of music, with wooden wheels against steel cogs.
For mason contractors and other preservation-minded trades, the message is clear. When a historic site gains a higher level of protection, the work is still about making a building function, but it also comes with tighter expectations around safeguarding character and documenting change.
Read the full, original article from BBC here.