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NETHER ALDERLEY - 21/04/04

Photos below are from our visit on Sunday 18th April to the National Trust's Nether Alderley Mill. The mill is located just south of Alderley Edge in Cheshire off the A34 road. To see a map of the area click here. The weather was dull and overcast, with light rain at times. The temperature feeling chilly at 8˚C.

The mill, though small is a interesting place with tandem wooden waterwheels. The wheels are powered by a stream, damned to create the lake as the photo above on the right. This was done because the stream itself was not powerful enough to operate the wheels.
We were given a guided tour of the mill to explain the history of the building and surrounding area, including the influence of the historic Stanley Family on the whole Nether Alderley area. Centre photo shows a bit of graffiti from 1768, the Miller's used to carve their initials into the building.
The photo on the left above shows one of the waterwheels in action, they can only be run at minimal speeds now as the wheels are unfortunately in a pretty poor state. Our next destination is a short walk from the Mill to the Parish Church of St. Mary and the Old School Rooms, as the photo on the right above. The School Buildings were built in 1628 out of local sandstone, the same materials were used on the Mill.
Some parts of the church are believed to date from around 1300 but are not as old as the Yew Tree in the centre photo above which is 1,200 years old. An unusual feature of the church is the Stanley Pew, built by the Stanley's early in the 17th century. It is like an opera box, a raised enclosure where the Stanley Family sat separately from the rest of the congregation.