News

The Eskdale generator became accredited under the government’s Renewables Obligation scheme in July 2016, so is permitted to earn Feed-in Tariff payments for the electricity produced. In testing during a sustained period of medium water supply, all parts operated well and safety aspects were proved.

However, in quiet conditions a particular frequency within the basic…

The last Newsletter reported the decision to defer our round-2 application to the Heritage Lottery Fund from November 2016, to allow time for closing the funding gap caused by higher than expectedbuilding costs. Many thanks to patrons and members who made donations for this purpose. We are also grateful to the Community Funds of Cumbria…

Hayloft Publishing, 249 pages, £12.00 from the Ratty stations and other local shops.

Margaret Armstrong Elliott was born in 1931. Her family farmed at Paddockwray and the Woolpack, also running the Inn. The farms were separated by Christcliff, inconveniently occupied by a hostile Mr Vicars. From Eskdale High School, where the teacher was her Aunt…

Admissions Weekly opening from Wednesday to Saturday between 10.45 am and 4.00 pm commenced in June. I opened the mill on 18 days in June, 12 in July, 15 in August and 18 in September. There were 2,450 visitors; one quarter were children. I took £5,100 in admissions. Trustees and other volunteers dealt with other…

The first use of water power to generate electricity at Eskdale corn mill was in the 1930’s. The winnowing machine, formerly part of the oat milling machinery, was replaced by a dynamo, which only supplied sufficient power for DC electric light in the cottage.

In 2008, after the Trust took over, it was thought that…

The good news We learned a year ago that our round-1 application to HLF was successful, but did not receive permission to start detailed planning and costing until April 2016. This frustrating period, when parts of our budget were substantially revised, meant that the November 2016 target for submission of our round-2 application was uncomfortably…

We were delighted to learn at the end of November that our first round application to the Heritage Lottery Fund for a major grant has been successful. £67,000 has been awarded to fund the development stage when, assisted by various consultants, we will work up the second round application for the full cost of building conservation…

When the Trust decided on a major restoration project and change in the presentation of the mill, to follow Dave King’s retirement early this year, we anticipated remaining closed for the 2016 and 2017 visitor seasons, whilst funding was secured, work was carried out and plans for future operation were put in place.  That would…

 By the end of October last year, the waterwheel, gearbox and motor-generator had all been installed on the structural steelwork previously bolted to the granite bedrock by the designers and constructors, Smith Engineering of Maryport.

We have taken up the generous offer of the Worthington family to provide timber from their woodland at nearby Dalegarth…

Earlier this autumn, Dave King showed his last visitors around the mill as resident miller/custodian, the position which he has held since 1992.  Originally from the East Midlands, Dave worked as a miner, draughtsman and engineer before being selected (from over 300 applicants) by Cumbria County Council to succeed Thom Staites as custodian at Boot.

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