IHBC’s last edition of our members’ journal Context – No. 185 – is available to read online and for this NewsBlog round we feature Terry Hughes on ‘Reslating an ancient water mill.
IHBC writes:
The need for major repairs to a historic mill provided a rare opportunity to record, study and repair early vernacular roofs, using authentic materials and traditional techniques.
Terry Hughes writes:
Melin Daron is an ancient water mill in Aberdaron village on the Ll?n peninsula in Gwynedd, north Wales. The buildings were covered in a variety of slate roofs as the mill grew over the centuries, but by 2022 they all needed substantial repairs. This provided a rare opportunity to record, study and repair early vernacular roofs, using authentic materials and traditional techniques. The re-roofing was mostly completed in 2024, with the final two roofs due to be conserved in 2025.
The mill is the most complete survival in the region, with the majority of the machinery still in its original position. It is believed to have existed from at least the 13th century, when the village was the embarcation point for pilgrims visiting Bardsey Island. Three pilgrimages to Bardsey, acts of Christian devotion, were the equivalent of one to Jerusalem…
Slate supply
As many slates as possible were reused. Where new tally slates were needed to make up a short- fall, they were obtained from Welsh Slate Ltd in appropriate colours: heather blue from Penrhyn, and grey from Cwt y Bugail quarries. Random slates were made on site by WJC using block from the same quarries.
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Driving rain
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Wind resistance
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Completion
Work started in September 2024 and was completed by Christmas, with the original vernacular and modern techniques applied throughout and using authentic slate types on each slope. The techniques’ effectiveness was demonstrated dur- ing Storm Darragh when only Slope 1 had been slated – the opposite slope was effectively open to the 96mph wind measured in Aberdaron. Not a single slate was disturbed, although other roofs nearby were damaged. Later the finished slating was completely unaffected by the severe Storm Éowyn in January.
Terry Hughes is an independent and Historic England slate and stone roofing consultant, and the UK slate industry’s representative on UK and European technical committees. He is grateful for contributions to this paper from Chris Wood and Richard Jordan, and to Welsh Slate Ltd for support in obtaining special slates.
Context 185: CONTENTS
Themed Articles
- Editorial
- Understanding pitched roofs, Madeleine Clark
- A code of practice for slate and stone roofing, Chris Wood
- Reslating an ancient water mill, Terry Hughes
- A carbon case for indigenous slate, Soki Rhee-Duverne and Jim Hart
- Successful solar generation in the historic environment, Morwenna Slade
- Sourcing Scottish slate in the 21st century, Imogen Shaw and Graham Briggs
- The roofscape of Hampstead Garden Suburb, Joe Mathieson
Feature Articles
- Conserving the postmodern legacy of the Sainsbury Wing, Alasdair Travers and Jon Wright
- The sad story of Derby Hippodrome, Derek Latham, Peter Steer and Ashley Waterhouse
Regular & Occasional features & updates
- Briefing
- Out of Context
- Periodically
- The writer’s voice
- Letter
- Law and policy
- Vox pop
- Reviews
IHBC Updates
- IHBC celebrates World Heritage UK’s anniversary, Rebecca Thompson
- Notes from the chair
- Director’s cut
- Inter alia
- New member profile
- New members
Commercial
- Products and services
- Specialist suppliers index
Reading Context helps IHBC members develop their skills across all of the IHBC’s Areas of Competence, and so serves as a critical baseline in addressing priorities in Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
Access the online archive and see the issue online
See more IHBC background and guidance on IHBC CPD and on how you might use past, current and future issues of Context
See the formal guidance paper on IHBC CPD (scheduled for update)
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