Cheddleton Flint Mill

On 24th June, on our way back down the Caldon Canal, we stopped at the Cheddleton Flint Mill to have a look at it as it was open.

The 2 large water wheels used to run the 2 mills.  The one on the right was running the day we visited.

View of the mills with steam engine room in the front.

The Flint Mill has been restored and is powered by 2 large waterwheels.  There has always been a mill on this site since the 13th century, then for corn, followed as a flint mill for the pottery industry from the 18th century.  The corn mill was enlarged and strengthened for grinding the flint.  Narrow boats brought the flint that had been carried from the south of England to the Mersey Ports by ship.  It was then brought by narrow boats on the canal to the Flint Mill.

Diagram of the Cheddleton Flint Mill Process.

Flint was principally used to whiten the pottery and ground flint was used in a white slip to wash the insides of buff coloured wares.  As flint dust caused destruction of the lungs, the flint was ground in water instead of dry to eliminate this.







The flint came by narrow boat, was unloaded by shovel and into the flint kilns, on a base of kindling and alternative layers of coal and flints and heated to about 1,000 degrees.  The flints would be calcined for 3 - 4 days in order to shatter their structure and make it brittle and render it easier to grind. 

Flint Mill and Jaw Crusher used to make the flintstone smaller.

Carried to the mill in a wagon, running the old plateway,  made of cast iron in 1777 and replaced in the 1920's by rolled steel and narrow gauged rails, the flints would be hoisted up to the top floor and charged onto the pan, with water.  The pan is paved with Chert stones, while the heavy stones, 'runners', also of Chert are driven round by the strong cast iron arms (gear wheels).

Gear wheels powered by the water wheels

Grinding pans and buckets.

After being ground for 24 hours, the slop was run off into a wash tub for thorough mixing with water before passing into the settling ark.  Here the flint settled and the clear water drawn off through the holes in the plug plank.  When settling had reached the correct stage, the slop flint was pumped over onto a slip drying kiln and when dry was sent by canal to the Potteries.

Single edge grinding pan used for mixing colours and a frame sieve.

Water power remained important for grinding the flint, stone and bone up to the 1950's until steam and now electricity has overtaken these means.

Examples of different types of pottery.

Description of Calcination and Cattle Bone which is used to make bone china.  I never knew that this was why it is called bone china.

The Miller's house was built in the early 1800's and the main room had a cast iron cooking coal range.

Miller's house to the left and the large warehouse.

Kitchen in Miller's Cottage

I was told the story by an elderly lady volunteer tidying up the garden in the Miller's cottage to the left of the photo that the lady, who is 96 years old and was born in the Miller's cottage, continues to live in the cottage in front of the base of the large warehouse in the photo.  These buildings were quaint and well preserved.

It was very interesting and educational as it explained the different clays and coals that were used in the pottery industry and were and are the main reasons for the development of the pottery industry in North Staffordshire as it continues to be today.