Llandyfrydog Water Mill

Felin Esgob (Bishops Mill) on the Isle of Anglesey (Ynys Môn) in North Wales.

On my second visit to this Mill I met the present owners – the Peden’s – and was graciously shown around the whole site, which includes – as well as the Mill – a waterfall, and the site of an enormous millpond. This is undoubtedly one of the most impressive mill restorations on Anglesey. The setting is in a peaceful valley below Mynydd Bodafon, and possibly gives us a glimpse of what Paradise may look like. I understand that in the future the Peden’s may consider offering accommodation if they do their visitors are in for a treat!

The restoration has been carried out by Mr Peden – a carpenter – and his brother in law Mr Evans – a bricklayer. The craftsmanship from the two men is evident, the water wheel, for example, has been restored using the types of wood that would originally have been used to cope with the constant flow of water.

Mentioned in King Edward III’s Extent of Anglesey in 1352, there has been a corn mill here for over 600 hundred years. The Mill – and the nearby farm – are named Melin Esgob, which translates to Bishops Mill. The reason for this is that in 1425 the mill was leased to the Bishop of Bangor. By the early 19th century it was under the control of the Buckley family.

In 1881, John Hughes, a farmer of 83 acres lived in the farm, and also ran the mill, he lives with his wife Jane, two sons and three servants.

Strangely, the leat (a system that artificially diverts water) for this Mill comes from a small local stream, and not – as one might expect – fom the Afon Coch (Red River). The dam for the leat that fed the mill pond is immediately above the waterfall, and having seen the size of the water wheel it is hardly surprising that the mill pond needed to be so large. When the final work is completed and the scaffolding and everything else is removed I have been invited back to take more photographs.

O.S. Coordinates: SH451861.