Your Heritage
Stotfold Mill is a Grade II listed watermill on the River Ivel in Stotfold, Bedfordshire. It was the last working watermill in the town and closed in 1966. In 1992 the building was gutted by fire but the machinery was repairable. The Stotfold Mill Preservation Trust was set up to purchase and restore the building, and to make it accessible to the public.
The project enabled the Trust to restore the millstones and machinery to full working order, so that visitors could see it in action and learn about the story of milling. Ensuring that the building met all the necessary health and safety standards was a vital part of the project.
Volunteers learnt new skills from the specialist contractors who carried out the work, so that they could maintain the machinery in the future. They also learnt milling skills through an apprenticeship scheme. Today, the mill is fully operational and producing flour again. It is open to the public, with displays and an official Stotfold Mill website that tell the history of the site. A team of over 165 volunteers manage all aspects of running the mill, including tours, fundraising events and an education programme.
The project was a catalyst for other conservation initiatives, including the creation of an interpreted nature reserve on the site, which is now open daily between May and October.