High resolution images and the History of Bodffordd Watermill (known as Melin Frogwy) on Anglesey

Bodffordd Watermill - known as Melin Frogwy on the Isle of Anglesey (Ynys Môn) in North Wales.

Bodffordd, Melin Frogwy Water Mill - Mill Race and Wheel.

Anglesey, Bodffordd - early photograph of Melin Frogwy Windmill and Water Mill.

I have yet to discover the history of the Water Mill, although I suspect that the same miller would have ran the Windmill as well. The only miller living in the village of Bodffordd during the 1881 census, was living at Rose Cottage. His name was Robert Jones, aged 46 and from Llanddyfnan, and he is a corn miller. He lived at Rose Cottage with his wife and two sons, one of the sons being 17 year old David Jones, also a corn miller. So maybe they ran the mills between them?

I do remember an 18th century story that I read about the miller of Melin Frogwy Mill. He was accused of murdering one of his indoor servants. He was found guilty, and sentenced to be burnt in the hands by hot irons. As horrible as that was, it bore no relation to the 12 year old boy tried at the same Beaumaris Court, and found guilty of stealing, he was sentenced to hang!

I believe that the Water Mill may still have been used up to at least the 1930's, as my wife's great grandfather - John Jones Carriwr - hauled corn to the mill and flour from there in his younger days.

The Water Mill has been converted to a residence, but still retains the metal water wheel, although the wooden blades or buckets would have rotted away. When I lived in the village last (in 2006) it was owned by a man of the cloth in Liverpool, who brought under privileged children there for holidays.

The lane that leads to the mills housed the village water pump, and I believe that village folk still drew water from there into the 1970's.

O.S. Coordinates: SH422770.

Anglesey Mills