Solva Woollen Mill

Solva Woollen Mill
Pembrokeshire
Solva Mill waterwheel
Type:	Woollen mill
Location
Grid reference:	SM80582592
Location:	51°53’19"N, 5°11’24"W
Village:	Middle Mill
History
	Built 1907
	Woollen mill
Information
Website:	solvawoollenmill.co.uk

Solva Woollen Mill is a working mill weaving woollen goods which stands in the village of Middle Mill, about one mile from Solva in Pembrokeshire. It has been in operation since 1907.

The mill was formerly powered by water, but is now electricity-driven.

History

Solva Mill claims to be the oldest working woollen mill in Pembrokeshire. In 1900, 26 woollen mills were counted in Pembrokeshire but today there are just two: Solva and Tregwynt

In 1907 Tom Griffiths moved his mill from St Davids to a new purpose-built building in Middle Mill powered by a ten-foot diameter, overshot water wheel.

His equipment included machinery to process the fleece, several small powered looms, a hand loom for making stair carpets and a flannel press. At first the cloth was finished at a nearby fulling mill, but later the mill installed its own fulling machine.

The mill made tweeds, blankets, flannel, stair carpets and knitting wool. (Ramsay MacDonald, then Prime Minister, had a Middle Mill tweed suit made in 1929.)

Tom Griffith's son-in-law, Eric Hemmingway, took over the operation in 1950, began producing carpets on the power looms, then upgraded to larger and more modern machinery. An oil-fired engine replaced the water wheel.

In the early 1960s another weaving shed was built and electrical looms installed using the newly-available mains electricity. The carding and spinning plant was scrapped, and the mill began using pre-spun and dyed yarn. By the 1970s the bulk of the production was carpeting.

The mill was sold to new owners in 1986.

Today

The waterwheel was restored in 2007. There were plans to restore the drive wheel and line shaft, and to generate electricity.

The original mill building was restored in 2011 and now holds the shop and tea room.

The mill today specializes in making flat woven rugs and runners. Their rugs are sold in the United Kingdom, Japan, the United States and Australia. The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall have visited the Solva Woollen Mill and used rugs from the mill in furnishing their property at Llwynywermod.

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  Water wheel
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  Loom
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  Loom

("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Solva Woollen Mill)

References

• Solva – A Gem in Pembrokeshire (Morawel B & B)