What on earth is a Flint mill ?
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- čas přidán 10. 09. 2024
- This video is about Cheddleton Flint mill in Staffordshire. Our question was What on earth is a flint mill. Well flint is ground in the process of making Porcelain. Cheddleton flint mill is near the Stoke on Trent and all the potteries that were there in the 18th and 19th centuries. It is a water powered mill with two stunning waterwheels and it takes its power from the river Churnet. Inside the mill is all the engineering and mechanics that are associated with this type of 19th century water powered mill. The mill also had kilns for firing the flint and the flint was gathered and brought to the mill via the Caldon Canal. The mill is run bu volunteers and is a fascinating insight into the Stoke on Trent pottery industry and Industriual England in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Gobsmacked to say the least. So much history packed into one space. Your productions are certainly world class.
Thanks Christopher much flattered
A really interesting video Martin, I like others never realised flint was used in the pottery industry. A big thanks to Nick for his excellent briefing and to the Cheddleton Mill for letting you film, another testament to your standing Martin.
If you’re down that way again take a trip to/on the churnet valley railway. It runs from froghall just down the road.
What a gem James found there . Like going back in time 🤩🤩🧱👍🏽
One or two of the family worked at Robey's in Lincoln over the years as well as at the other foundries and engineering works in the city. It's hard to imagine the scale of the places that employed thousands of men producing everything from the first tanks to steam engines, steam locos and huge boilers so seeing a small scale industrial heritage site with all the gubbins in situ is really nice to see.
Thanks Martin ... Great vid as always and in 15 mins you answered so many of questions I have wondered about for years. Top job.
Martin you've taken us through some wonderful old ruined mills, but this was a rare event to see one still intact and preserved. You're right about that smell of old machinery, grease, and workshops, for me it's a smell full of good memories of working in Blacksmith shops and machine shops over the years. Thanks for the video. Cheers.
Hi Martin, Really interesting I had no idea about using flint to make porcelain. Good find James!!
Can't have been much fun getting the flint out of those kilns.
Nice to see a pair of Norias side by side👌👌
Great video, well done, have a great week.
The stones used to grind clay into a fine brew used for slip-ware in the Potteries came from around Bakewell, it was carried by 4 legged beasts to canal-boats at Cromford. This stone is also used today to test drills & dilling techniques because the local limestone is ridiculously hard and this is why it got shipped across to Stoke. The Bakewell area is also famous for Black Ashford Marble - THE funereal stone for the posh and much admired by Queens Elizabeth & Victoria. Limestone fragments were used, until relatively recently, in Davey Blocks that are now banned for building by the Peak Park.
Fabulous . So interesting. We never stop learning. That sticky sharing bun looked rather tasty. Nice to see James back and Timmy too. Thank you all.
Another great video guys. I've been there a few times when the kids were young. The weir is not actually an overflow, but it's there to raise the water level so there is a head of water to flow into the mill leat. Also at Cheddleton is a steam railway line (North Staffordshire) and there is a corn mill in Leek. Also, maybe you don't know about Nether Alderley Corn Mill just south of Alderley Edge which is worth a visit, but it's not open often these days. Looking forward to the next video. Best Wishes Pete
Hi Martin, thank you for this great video and wow, such an interesting place to visit. Thanks to your visit and video, we too had the pleasure of a personal guided tour of the mill with the very capable and knowledgeable Nick.
On our arrival on May 1st, the first thing we noticed was that both wheels are once again turning with the new bearings having been fitted to Helen around 2 weeks ago.
With your love and interest in the water aspect of things mechanical, I’m sure you will need to revisit Cheddleton Mill to stand between the two wheels and be mesmerised by the beautiful stereophonic tune of Helen & George powering the mills, an absolutely wonderful experience.
We told the volunteers that it was your video that led us there and Nick told us that after you had posted this video, they had a noticeable upturn in both interest and visitors that was directly attributable to your work. He also noted that he thought that your videos have helped a lot of other smaller interest volunteer groups like theirs to get their work out into the public arena.
We discovered your CZcams videos about 12 months ago while planning our current UK trip and enjoy them immensely and to actually get to just one of the sites you have documented has helped us to further appreciate the work you are doing to document these lesser known historical sites. Keep up the great work, we love it! 2 Aussies abroad.
Thank you very much. Really nice to get comments like this. Iam really pleased that the video helped the Mill because they are fantastic and were brilliant with us 👍🏻
You learn something new with each of Martins videos. *I* - for one - hadn't known about the purpose of milling flint either. Nor that it once was sea-sponge. Thanks for sharing !
Hey Martin!
I have fond memories of going here when I was very young with mum and Grandad when he was alive when I used to go on trips to stoke. Its so nice seeing this mill again.
If you want a fun place to check out try the dissapearing river in the Lathkill Dale gorge with all the old mine works and the river coming out of a cave its a great day out walk and fantastic history :)
There is so much to see in that area. I used to cycle from Cheadle Hulme through Macclesfield to Leek and take a sandwich break at the Cheddleton flint mill. They have done a really good job of removation and turned it into a real nice museum. It is close to the Churnet Valley preserved steam railway. Also Leek itself has a traditional market and is great to visit with the chance that if you visit on a Saturday you might hear the church bells change ringing. In the area also are Lake Rudyard, Titesworth serervoir,The Roaches (NT estate used by the BBC Pride and predudice mini series), and near to Danebridge there is the Hanging Stone which cane be seen from the main Macc to Leek road. Great Vid and so very informative.
What a fantastic location! I couldn't believe that the water wheel was working and it looked like most of the site was very complete! Nick was a very knowledgeable and enthusiast about sharing the interesting history! Good find James!
I've driven past that mill so many times, and wondered what it was all about. Thanks. 😊
Thanks Martin! Great video mate. What a wonderful place, stunning. Hello James, good to see you as well. Thanks gents, stay safe. Cheers.
Thank you Martin and James. The video is perfect.😊😊😊.Timmy is a super dog❤
Fascinating video Martin, thanks. I've lived in Kent all my life and our family home was on the chalky dip slope of the North Downs. Our garden was full of chalk and flint (my Gran's house nearby was even more so), so it's really interesting to know the flint was transported to Cheshire. Our present home, however, is near Tunbridge Wells and the soil is solid clay. Absolutely no flint whatsoever.
So funny story… I saw James in Leek then spent an hour racking my brain wondering who that lad was an where I knew him from 🤦♀️
Fascinating video with excellent description by volunteer Nick. Thanks for posting.
Great video. Certainly learnt something today. Never heard of flint milling or the fact that flint stones are basically sea sponge fossils. Great work lads.
Thx Martin and crew; what a great find! I'll be adding this to my wish list of places to visit.
Martin, all your videos are outstanding, but this vid set the bar a bit higher. Nothing like the sound of greasy cast iron gears grinding away. This was a top-notch, enjoyable and educational watch. Now I see where the term "Hovel" came from to describe a small broken-down house. Renee's back story was a nice touch, she must smiling down on you, James and Gary. Thanks to you and your team for your time and work.........
mike
This is one of the great things about this country, you can head a few miles away from where you live and the scenery and industry is so different.
I'm interested in ceramics, so I was pleased to see this video on the use of flint in many types of pottery. Just to be pedantic, I don't think these would usually be described as *porcelain* , though that is (in the world of ceramics) a notoriously ambiguous term. For example what is called 'soft paste porcelain' (e.g. early Sevres) may contain more glass than clay. Pottery made from clay and calcined (roasted) flint would usually be called creamware or stoneware. One of the criteria for 'true' porcelain is that it should be translucent, which this stuff isn't! Some time in the 18th century English potters discovered that calcined animal *bone* could be used in the mix and gave a result more like the real (Chinese) thing, hence the term 'bone china'. (Don't tell the vegans - they might have to throw out their crockery!)
Fantastic video Martin. What a find Well done James . That's a must-visit on my places of interest list.👍 😃
Great to see you in my neck of the woods, Martin and co. Been to the flint mill many times but never when it’s been open. The steam engine from Minton…., Minton was a world renowned pottery manufacturer in Stoke on Trent for many years, however, long gone now. The factory was bulldozed, along with the stunning, “Minton house”, which was also on the same site, and should have been a listed building !!, (thanks Stoke council !!), about 20 years or more ago and is now a Sainsbury’s…, !!. Thanks again, Stoke council, for saving our heritage !.
If your looking for a places to go try the Welsh slate museum at Llanberis, there is a 50 foot water wheel, a Pelton wheel, forges a casting shop a pattern shop saw mill. A working gravity incline and two quarries to explore, and the Llanberis lake railway, you will need to stay in the village to get the best of this trip you can spend 3 days and not see everything. Loved the flint mill, keep up the great work. God bless
Another 2 great places to visit.Thanks.👍
What a beautiful place to find. Well done Jamie. Lovely to see Gary again too.
Cheers 👍🏻
Thank you for another great video, and thanks to Nick for the flint info.
An excellent video, right up my interest level. Many thanks - Full marks to James for finding these. Cheers
Holly crap i volunteer there and you picked the only day i wasn't there , absolutely gutted 😪 Its a great place i did invite you over about a year ago on here
See how good your videos are when James is with you?
Great one, loads of stuff I was curious about is finally answered.
TTTHAT was incredible.
Thank god we still have places like this to visit,
And if we cant get there, we have fantastic films like this one to show us our heritage and long lost way of life
Bronze age burial site included also,
Amazing.
Thankuou team
Brilliant viewing as always.
🙌
Thanks Bob
Really i teresting, never knew about the Flint. Another one for the list and not far to travel to. Thanks as always Martin and the team, you never disappoint.
Great film, and nice to see Timmy again! I have in fact visited this mill, many years ago and it is indeed an idyllic place. Nice one Martin and team! ⭐👍
A very worthwhile video, Martin & Co. Interesting and informative; I learned a lot.
Thanks.
Thanks Martin and guys and of course the dog. Woof.
Very interesting and picturesque. Once again, you have saved me heaps in air fares. I didn't know flint was used in porcelain.
Learnt something new there about the use of Flint. Another great video, Martin and the crew. Keep up the good work 👍.
It's good to see old machinery moving.
Love a waterwheel, mesmerising to watch!
G'day from Australia, too the Boys thanks for a wonderful look into a part of history that l new nothing about, never too old to learn as they say, cheers mate, Neil 🤠.
Brilliant. It beggars belief what was invented, and built, in the latter half of the 19th and 20th centuries.
Excellent really intresting videos always look forward to them.
Never heard of a Flint Mill - & now I know - thanks for sharing!!! 🙂🚂🚂🚂
Also I've been to Solomon's Temple quite a few times - great views from the Top Martin 😉🚂🚂🚂
Would loved to have seen more about Rene and her life there. Another superlative video Mr 0 thank you
Very interesting, I read about this mill years ago, and it's great that it's been preserved in working order.
Great snapshot of a bygone era. Simpler, but harder times when folk were closer to nature. Particularly liked the cottage building and the furnishings. Makes you realise just how much we take for granted these days. It's heartening to see the place restored and in such fine shape, the wheel is spectacular. Hopefully the other one will be turning before long.
Great video ,visited the railway near there a year or two back .Must go again to see this wonderful place . many thanks mate , take care ,God bless.
This is a really interesting video, Martin. To see everything intact, and lots of machinery still in working order is a marvel. It's in a beautiful setting too, with the River Churnet present. Nice to see that you popped over to Buxton and Solomon's Temple. I was born just over half a mile from there! Anyhow, it's nice to see James the tea brewer back with you + little dog, and so, many thanks for presenting this video for us all to see. Take care.
Illuminating, interesting, produced with passion. Your vids are amongst the top on CZcams.
Nice one, Marty - I had no idea about any of this, and it's going straight onto my list of places to visit.
Thanks to you and the crew...
☝️😎
Great upload! I learnt something there about porcelain. Thanks!
Nice place james, good find. Excellent video as always.
I'm pleased to see you back, James❤❤❤
Hi Martin I know you like your trains but only a mile a long the canal is Churnet Valley Railway. I'm convinced it would make a great video for your subscriber.
Excellent video are ever. The scenery was breath taking,. Thanks for or showing us this this mill.,
Another Derbyshire treasure, regards to Gary, well found James.
Great video. Thanks for sharing. Love old mills.
Yet another great Doco Thanks Martin Bill from W/A
nice bevel geasrs! what a fantastic place. thanks Martin and James
You've not let me down Martin , I wanted a new vid from you to watch whist we have our tea , thanks a lot . We're having pork chops , chips & broccoli 😀
Thanks Martin for the interesting episode, my grandmother own very old family porcelain cutlery from our ancestors, I had no idea that's it's possible from this place, 😮😮.all our cutlery was Sheffield steel, 😊. 12:20
Really interesting historical tour. Thank you young man
Great vid Martin...I live literally up the road on cheddleton Heath...Great bit of history 👍
Thank you for another amazing video.
Thanks guys this weeks video was very interesting , really appreciated and was informative too ,as i had no idea about the flint , regards liz .
Brilliant video again guys looks a fantastic little place & a little Brucie bonus vid aswell 👍🏻
Brilliant bit of history and I never new it was there,hopefully pay a visit next year 👍
Some beautiful camera-work and lots of fascinating stuff in this video. I did get confused by the idea of flint mill because flint is famously hard and I was wondering what it took to actually grind it...
Brilliant
Beyond exceptional James.
Flint ?! To me means making a fire or Pottery. Some of us were awake in history class Martin. But I had a great teacher who combined History and Geography and we learnt about the world and as a youngster my mind was a sponge for knowledge and tales of daring do.
Thanks for doing this Martin & team. Tare n Share, nice. Looks like my grandma's house, without the wheel. that grandma lived and worked near tin mines on North Cornwall/Kernow, then Radstock, Somerset. Not as good as Dar'en or Jubilee Tower.
A welcome rare sighting of the James bird! And hi to Timmy and Gary too as well as your good self Martin. I've never come across a flint mill before either. Who knew flint was ground to become a component of porcelain? Certainly not me! Like lots of mills, very picturesque too. Such a pretty setting for a piece of working machinery. That was a very decent brew and eats James. They do add a certain je ne sais quoi to the videos! Loved the miller's cottage. So comfy and homely. Soloman's temple was a nice pictureseque bonus. Altogether a fascinating visit and lovely video!
What a fantastic little museum!
Absolutely wonderful! Thankyou for sharing 🎉 the place screams of history! I hope you both visit again soon. but if I could ask one thing it would be a longer video pleaseeeee!☺️
That was just lovely...dog Timmy was cute as can be.... The Mill was fascinating... great job as always... that last bit of the tower... like to see more of those... been a fan since way before that stupid Pandemic... keep crackin' on mate - love the channel!
Thank you David
Wonderful find
Great video Martin! I knew flint was used in pottery but didn't know it was in porcelain. I really like the historical museum type videos you do. That flint mill seemed like such a nice one.
Crackin vid Martin…… loving the quality of production mate! I honestly had no idea about flint mills 😮👍🏻
a real pleasure to follow you on this exploration
Incredible. That mill was great having a working waterwheel. Lovely learning how they made porcelain.. this history is fabulous, just loved it. Thanks for taking me along. Please take care
I really enjoyed this one. You explained it with great detail.
Really interesting episode, Great video 👌👌👌👌👍👍👍👍👍 Really nice of the staff to be on video explaining.👌👌
I never knew what a flint mill was but I went to Thwaites Mill in Leeds this weekend which is also a flint mill - bit bigger than the one in this video but still operated by a working water wheel. It's definitely worth a visit!
Looks an interesting place that👍
A stunning looking place!
Splendid. Thanks very much.
As aways I really love these shows
Good to see James and Timmy again. Martin, you never fail to amaze with these videos! James gets credit for finding this site though. Well done. 😊
well...that's another fine video you've gotten me into.......well done!
Martin, you need to look into the little town of new mills there are still alot of old mills here and lots of lost ones with tones of history it'll be a dream to see you uncover the old new mills
Brilliant again Martin
Another great video Martin!!
Damm good video Martin................................thank you.
Nice video, Martin Been to Buxton Bakewell and all round there, many times, never knew that Mill Existed
Wow that's awesome
I know what a flint mill is but I didn't know they still had a working example. ❤