New Free sample Cochwillan Mill Movie

Description

PRE-HISTORY Felin Cochwillan is a well-preserved large Penrhyn Castle estate corn mill situated on a loop of the Ogwen River, Close to Snowdonia National Park, North Wales. It retains good late 19th Century detail in its external character, and inside a virtually complete set of mill machinery, including stones and a drying kiln.
OUR INTERVIEW STARTS WITH this story of a unique life’s work of Vernon Barker-Jones (1909-2002) engineer, watermill owner, wool weaver and maker of weaving and spinning machines.
Before coming to North Wales Vernon had his own engineering machinery business in Yorkshire. Now married to Mabel and young son Idris was looking for a new project.
In 1950’s Lord Penrhyn was selling off parts of his Penrhyn estate, Felin Cochwillan Watermill was now for sale. Vernon being a good businessman offered cash, and the purchase took place within a few weeks. From 1953 Vernon repaired and operated the watermill grinding his corn. Meanwhile Mabel, Vernon’s wife took up beekeeping, Vernon the businessman sold their honey to visitors. To add the visitor’s interests started making working wool spinning wheels copies of full-size Welsh, English and Irish. Not stopping there were Flax spinning wheels, Arkwright 4 and 16 spindle bobbin machines, all full-size working models. The genius of this man even improved on Arkwright’s Patent Plans by working out the correct gear ratios to make the bobbing’s rotate at the correct speed. Vernon at 86 years of age gives us a non-stop one take interview, ends up showing how the wearer would operate their looms and finally how the millstones where hand-cut and balanced. In 1990 the same year this film was made the watermill was sold to its present owners Howard & Corrie Hutchinson who have restored parts into a lovely home.
(You can see their GUIDE to the Watermill’s History at the end of our interview, enjoy).