One of Barnsley’s best loved heritage sites is celebrating its 400th anniversary this year.
King Charles I was on the throne when Worsbrough Mill’s waterwheel first started turning to produce freshly-ground flour. Bread was a staple then as it is today, and the traditional method of milling hasn’t changed much either.
However, it’s been trouble at t’mill in recent years. Flour production has ground to a halt twice since 2022; first for 15 months while £2.4 million engineering works were carried out on the reservoir as water levels were too low to feed the wheel.
The millstones were only in motion for a handful of months before production had to stop again last summer due to a critical fault with the mill’s shaft. The five-metre-tall upright shaft had become cracked and warped, causing vibration to the stone wheels and building.
But thanks to a campaign to raise £40,000 for emergency repairs, the future of Worsbrough Mill is no longer at risk of complete closure.
And a year of celebrations is currently underway to mark its quatercentenary. There’s been a new mural by architectural artist Adam Briscoe, an official logo by Barnsley College graphics student Addison Batten, and videos and soundscapes produced by the Next Big Thing Youth Group.
The oldest parts of the mill, which houses the waterwheel, date back to 1625. But it’s thought there was a mill somewhere on site as far back as 1086.
In 1750, a mill house was built for the miller and his family to live in, but before that they’d live in the mill itself. You might have noticed the two fireplaces if you’ve visited and seen the initials and dates inscribed on the lintels.
The mill was modernised in the 1820s to improve output, before a new mill was built next door twenty years later. The new mill was steam-engine powered but this was scrapped in 1922 as trade for corn and flour continued to drop off due to a rise in cheap imported wheat.
Right up until the 1960s, the old water mill continued to grind corn and oats, mainly for farmers to feed their animals.
Then in 1972 the West Riding County Council began to restore the mill as a working museum. They replaced the former steam engine with a rare 1911 Hornsby hot-bulb oil engine that came from Sykehouse Windmill.
When local government was reorganised in 1974, the mill was taken over by South Yorkshire County Council who opened it to the public two years later. The mill and surrounding country park are now run by Barnsley Council’s museums service.
During the covid pandemic, it was producing up to 300g of flour a day, four times a week. The miller transferred the grains to the mill’s silos by a rope and pulley system. Opening the sluice gates released the water from the mill pond to power the cast iron wheel which turned the great millstones.
The organic flour, made with grains specially selected from UK farmers, gained a good reputation. Deliveries were made to bakeries and restaurants throughout Yorkshire, as well as pallets of flour sent out all over the country.
When the machinery is fixed and working again, visitors will be able to see the operating mill and explore the site’s history and processes.
Along with seeing inside the mill, visitors can enjoy a walk around the expansive country park with its Georgian reservoir, accessible path, bountiful wildlife, and a small adventure playground.
Worsborough Mill and Country Park is dog friendly and free to enter, though car parking charges do apply. There’s a café and toilet facilities on site which are open daily. The mill shop is open Thursday to Saturday 10am until 3pm. Worsbrough Bridge, Barnsley, S70 5LJ. Find out more here.
