Welcome to Mortimers Cross Mill.This 1750 Water Mill is an excellent example of how man has harnessed the energy of the river Lugg to mill wheat into flour or crush grains for animal feed.Being an early example of water power we have a separate paragraph somewhere called FREE ELECTRICITY.

The Juke Box has an important piece by Tony Phillips talking about an exhibition at Liverpool University Art Gallery together with an interesting poem by his partner Siona which really needs to be listened to a few times because its clever and funny. Both kindly allowed to be recorded here by Keane, The Editor of Italy`s leading Arts News Web Site. www.barganews.com None of this is relevant to the Mill.



Together with the Mill there is also a museum of The Battle Of Mortimers Cross.Its a very small battle centre but reading every word and viewing the battle field plans will give you huge insight into what took place here in 1461.The winner became king Edward 4th so its an important part of Britain`s history.Entrance to the battle centre costs just £2 if you dont want to go into the Mill.

STAYING AT THE MILL
New for 2010 is THE VILLAGE. Comprising a pair of traditional Sioux Indian 16 foot tipis sited with the doors facing east as was the tradition.These tipis are traditional not a modern contrivance.Yes they are made of fire retardant canvas but looking at the detail we use willow to fasten the front together.Willow pegs to anchor the tipis to the ground and a special arrangement with river pebbles to secure guy ropes.The Tipi is constructed as a giant chimney.The wind is supposed to whistle under the outer skin and hit the inner lining forcing it upwards.So in the past before health & safety regs ruined everything,a fire would have been placed by the doorway of the tipi and the draft created by the lining took the smoke up and out through the smoke flaps.No modern day manufacturer of tipis seems to bother with the lining anymore probably because it represents as much canvas again as the whole structure,doubling the price! (Keep it real-Insist on a lining!)



Also part of THE VILLAGE is a 12 foot YURT. This is traditionally made of wood.The side walls are a trellis of wood with a fire retardant canvas outer wall.Attached to create the roof are steam bent willow roofing bars.These are steam bent to create a curved roof that allows strong winds easier passage over the top.The Crown Wheel is also steam bent.The smaller Yurt in THE VILLAGE is not strictly a Yurt.Its called a GER. This has straight roofing bars which is a lot easier to make and the crown wheel is made of laminated wood which is also easier to make.Still serves a great purpose as a home.

We have a strict no fires policy in the canvas structures to comply with Health & Safety Regulations. 30 metres away we provide a nice big iron brazier to sit around and cook baked potatoes in.In the passage of time we hope to provide a brick oven & other facilities.We reckon there is space in the village to sleep 14 and thats the number who can sit around the brazier comfortably.Recently we had a festival here with 20 to 30 around the brazier & everyone froze(too far away)

We have a strict no dogs policy because of the sheep and wildlife.Our farm here is a special Defra sponsored environment & habitat site and a site of special scientific interest and covered in scheduled ancient monuments so everything has to be done "by the book". Now have a look at the composting toilet.



During festivals and events is when lots of campers used to come here and we hired portable toilets. The massive price increases in the loo hire business has sadly curtailed a lot of activity here.We asked all the local loo hirers for free use of a loo during our London 2012 Open weekend Coracle Relay Race in 2009.They all said NO! Every event we held here resulted in a financial loss because of the loo hire so now we no longer hire portable loos but if you`ve got the money and want a more civilised experience for your guests we can arrange for a loo or two to be on site in readiness of your stay in THE VILLAGE.They are about £92 each!

FISHING AT THE MILL.

We have a mile of the River Lugg.A self sustaining catch and release water.The home of big trout** which get a lot bigger when you get back home and tell the tale.We manage the water carefully as an upstream dry fly only water along the lines expected in the early 20th century by members of The Piscatorial Society. ie somewhere to sit whilst you wait for a fish to rise,you then cast to it. Its a peculiar method of angling but actually the most effective because the water runs over limestone here and is gin clear. The slightest movement detected by the fish and they are gone-into hiding! All the fish are expected to be returned alive to fight another day! We stocked the water with diploid brown trout in 2004 and 2005 with a variety of sizes.The EA have now banned stocking of diploid brown trout (that can breed) in case they interfere with native stocks.I wrote in protest when this decision was being proposed arguing that native brown trout disappeared in the 19th century when anglers started stocking trout nationwide from fish farms. Anyway the long & short of it is that from now on the only fish allowed to be stocked are non breeding triploid brown trout. If you are attracted by the prospect of fishing for wild trout on a river managed ‘in
tune with nature’ then this is the place to come.

Fly only Day Tickets or Part of a day cost £10. Up in the wooded part of the river you can use nymphs & wade.

** You cant believe the miller. No one has caught anything bigger than 2lbs though the best day recorded was 35 fish,all returned.