Gwynedd Archaeological
Trust Regional Historic Environment Record
Britons Mills, Former Site of, Beaumaris
Primary Reference Number (PRN) : 36142 Trust : Gwynedd Community : Beaumaris Unitary authority : Ynys Mon NGR : SH5989776052 Site Type (preferred type first) : MEDIEVAL MILL
Description : Melin Briton or Britons Mills. Two mills close together on the river. They are shown on Speed's map of 1610, but were developed in the 19th century. At some point, perhaps mid 19th century, the upper mill became a slate mill, presumably a slab mill. The two buildings a still present, but the Council have recently carried out considerable landscaping works in the area, and partly demolished the upper mill. (Davidson 2002, p.29)
A programme of environmental improvements to a plot of land called Mill Race in Beaumaris, Anglesey, involved the partial demolition of one mill and the provision of information on the industrial heritage of the site. Desk-based research was carried out to inform the latter element of the work, including the examination of various manuscript and cartographic sources. The resuts of the research suggested that at least one, and probably two, mills were built on the site, also known as Nant Meugan, c 1500, forming part of an endowment granted to the church for the founding of a chantry, possibly by Sir Richard Bulkley,. A typical medieval mill, up to the 18th century, used simple gearing whcih allowed a water wheel to drive only one pair of grindiing stone. If more pairs of stones were required then additional water wheels were erected, either under the same roof or dowmstream of the other. This would appear to tbe the acse hear, and two mills were clearly marked on Speed's map of 1610 called 'Briton's Miills.' Follwonf the invention of the spur gear and the ability to drive several pairs of stones from one wheel, the two miill at Nant Megu were upgraded, probably in the 18th century. Documentary evidence records that the upper mill was the larger, with three pairs of stones . However, the upper mill is marked 'Slate Works (Disused' on the 1917 1:2500 OS map, and must have been converted to a slate-processing mill in the late 19th century, although no documentary evidence to confirm this has been found. No millin machinery of any sort remains on site, although the two structures of the upper and lower mill remains visible, along with a numeber of leats and the main dam. (Davidson, 1999)
