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Who would have thought in 1930 that the waterwheels they removed then, would be replaced in 1999?
Well, that's exactly what happened. With the help of the National Trust and the National Lottery, Houghton Mill now proudly displays a new (but faithfully reproduced from the original) waterwheel. This one is enclosed above ground level, just like the 17th century version. One change to the original design is the inclusion of a water turbine that generates electricity; this is, however, be below ground level and invisible to the human eye. |
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As you can imagine, stopping a river, rebuilding a waterway, refurbishing a mill, fitting a waterwheel etc. are all very time intensive, so the online ongoing saga was done in stages (just like the real thing).
It was in August 1998 that the work started in earnest (if my computer's clock is to be believed) when the shuttering was fitted that would stop the river on the North side of the mill, where the new wheel will reside. The story is told in pictures (and written narration) ... |
So how do you shut off a river the size of the River Ouse?
First of all you have to provide a route across for all the interested people who want to see what's happening. This was accomplished by the Royal Engineers from Waterbeach who built a Bailey bridge over the river alongside the mill. This was done way back in March 1998, when the Easter floods were soon to take over parts of the country. Fortunately, not us! |  |
 | In August the shutters came down - literally. The water level had reduced to the point where the time was right. With an excited audience (including me) we watched the great river Ouse slowly shut off with interlocking shuttering. In order for the shuttering to be inserted into the river bed to a depth of two metres, a very heavy (and very noisy) pneumatic hammer was used. |
This was simply placed over each piece of shuttering as it was interlocked with its neighbour and the compressor started. After a quick start, the hammer's progress became laboured and every last inch seemed to take forever (although it obviously didn't).
Eventually, the river was closed off and the divers could get into the water on the mill side and seal the last remainders of flow so that work could commence. |  |
 | This masterpiece of engineering was completed in two days and once the shuttering was fitted on the down river side (a job even greater than the upstream side because of the scope of the excavations required), the works could start in earnest |
The fire escape disappeared very quickly, followed by the 1970 sluice gate. 1500 tons of earth then had to be dug out to make way for the new waterways, turbine housings and other technical stuff. Concrete structures started to rise from the ashes of the river floor and all the time, the thud of the pumps draining the water that seeped past the shuttering surely kept "Phil the Mill" awake at night.
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 | And so we get to the beginning of November.
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In early December, the shuttering disappeared, much to the consternation of the neighbours (who thought that there was an earthquake going on 'cos they used that pneumatic thingummy to get it out).
December also saw much of the site being cleared, the Bailey bridge went back to barracks and the brickwork was repaired.
Then the wheel was fitted.... |  |
 | In the middle of January, the wheel was fitted and eventually it sprouted some paddles. Naturally, in a project that was based on restoring the wheel to its original appearance, all the finer details had to be taken care of - hence the frame.
The wheels that originally stood on the site were, in fact, encased in a wooden enclosure, making most of the wheel invisible to the human eye. Here, we see the wheel disappearing before our very eyes. |
| Meanwhile, the site was being tidied up in readiness for the influx of visitors the villages get in the Easter break. The crane and plant went, the generator was covered in earth to make it less visible, and the turbine was tested(mid February) |  |
 | Mid March - the turbine mound was seeded (with grass, of course), the wheel housing still has its "Wet Tar" sign and the grill over the observation deck of the Mill's wheel is now in place. The Mill officially opened for the 1999 season on the 3rd April and, milling commenced on time. You can now even purchase flour from the Mill to make your own Houghton Hovis. The wheat used at the Mill comes from Wimpole Hall - another great National Trust treasure. |
Interestingly, the waterway now has two exits. The turbine and the waterwheel have their own sluices that can be independently controlled. The sluice that controls the wheel's flow is adjustable from inside the Mill itself (if the shaft going through the wall is anything to go by!).
The main sluice on the other side of the Mill is still there, but is usually closed to allow the generator to do its stuff |  |
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