Shalford Mill

Shalford Mill

Shalford Mill is a restored timber-framed watermill dating to the 18th century. The mill stands in an attractive setting beside the River Tillingbourne. The mill ceased production in 1914, but the original machinery has been preserved.

The mill was rescued from dereliction and gifted to the National Trust by a group of anonymous donors known as 'Ferguson's Gang'.

There are ongoing special events throughout the year, including guided walks and evening talks. Group tours are available by arrangement.

18th-century fire insurance plaques

Ferguson's Gang meeting room

Visiting Shalford Mill

First things first - it is worth noting that there is no parking at the mill, which is down a short drive on the east side of the A281 just south of the parish church. We managed to pull our car off on a nearby side street and walk back to the mill, which was marked by a brown tourist sign on the main road.

It was a bank holiday weekend when we visited, and there were activities for children, but to be fair it was not crowded at all. There are no facilities on the site, however; no toilets or cafe, but you can sit by the mill stream and put your feet up!

The waterwheel gear mechanism

One of 3 first-floor grindstones

Medieval roof timbers

The water wheel

We were shown around the mill by a volunteer guide who was utterly wonderful. I've visited a dozen or more historic mills over the years and I think I learned more in the 30 minutes we spent exploring Shalford Mill than in all the rest of the mills put together. We learned a lot about how the mill functioned, its history, and the milling process in general.

We also heard about Ferguson's Gang and saw the simple room where they held their meetings, complete with a couple of bunk beds. After our tour was complete we went for a short stroll along the trail that leads from the mill stream through nearby fields.

All in all our visit to Shalford was a smashing success and I can heartily recommend it.