Nether Alderley Mill

Documents dating back to 1391 record a watermill at Nether Alderley, and the present building, rebuilt between 1595 and 1597 and enlarged around 1746, is one of only four virtually complete corn mills in Cheshire. Concealed under its long sloping roof are an upper and a lower waterwheel, fed from the millpond and driving millstones that weigh over a ton apiece. The Rawlins family were the last millers, stopping work in 1939, Major J.A. Shelmerdine gave the mill to the National Trust in 1950, and between 2008 and 2012 the sagging roof and the machinery were restored. Guided tours, offered on a timed basis on arrival and not bookable ahead, follow the flour-making process from waterwheel to wholemeal. Reviewers praise the friendly, knowledgeable guides and their demonstrations. Only assistance dogs are admitted. The Trust warns that the car park is extremely small and there are no toilets, that access to the upper floor is limited, with a virtual tour on the ground floor.