An Ancient Watermill ---- A Report Of The Making Of A Self Catering Holiday Cottage
Can I now tell a tale of a medieval Water Mill which has become a holiday retreat deep in the Creuse countryside
. Now I am relating one of a collection of items relating the story of and detailing the environs of Le Moulin Chez Lord, France 23430.When the watermill was built the Limousin part of France was controlled by the English military. The mill was built in about the year.
1279 and the local commander of the garrison lived in a dwelling alongside the bridge over the river Beraude. Probably because he was a member of the British gentry the locality became known as Le Pont de Chez Lord meaning literally ---- The Bridge by the House of the Lord.
Le Moulin de Chez Lord (which means The Mill by the House of the Lord) was constructed close to the house of the English milord. It was necessary to make the flour to prepare bread to feed the soldiery and also to prepare the oats for the horses. It is easy to forget that the potato did not arrive in France until the middle of the 15th century. Thus the building of the mill was long before the arrival in Europe of the potato and bread was the main source of carbohydrate. The mill had been in operation for 300 years before the potato first arrived from South America and eventually became part of the European diet. This is why for even a small semi-permanent garrison it was vital to have a dependable source of flour.
To get the time when the water mill was constructed into perspective we may explain that it was the thirteenth century, the time of Richard the Lionheart, who became King of England and Aquitaine in 1189. So the watermill was constructed in the time of the crusades and Robin Hood in England. The story of King Richard and his influence on the area around here will be looked at later.
In western Europe it was the period of the start of The Little Ice Age. The river Thames in London froze over in some winters and caused the northern Europeans to withdraw from their settlements in Iceland as the ice cap came south. The sun was less active and the Earth suffered a Little Ice Age which persisted for about five centuries ending in the mid 1850s. Crops failed regularly throughout this period ... so much for NOW being a time of unique climatic changes. Here in France the temperature was some 2 degrees below the current average so here at the mill in winter it was even colder and no doubt damper than now which makes me feel sorry for our predecessors.
The water mill was working until the 1980s when it ground animal meal. The mill has now been {converted|altered| changed] into a holiday cottage in this area of France called the Limousin.
Now traveling towards the East you come to the Massive Central which is a mountainous region now famous for winter sports. If we now look towards the west a short journey takes you to Limoges, celebrated for its porcelain factories and going further still the coastal town of La Rochelle the largest seaside resort in the Bay of Biscay. Thisfascinating resort is now also a holiday resort and a major center for boating.
The area called the Limousin is a new one on the tourist scene as it was for many years a typically French holiday region however it is becoming well known. It is an area of meadows, hills and valleys with many picturesque small villages nestled in the valleys. The area contains dozens of rivers in the many valleys which makes for spectacular scenes.
Most rural activities are readily available. Especially prominent amongst these are the stimulating hikes of every degree of effort thus suiting all levels of skill and degrees of zeal.
The ancient watermill is 700 years old, and was built to grind wheat flour for English troops who were stationed locally to oversee the British wine interests centered in and around Bordeaux. The watermill is nestled in a valley and consists of 20 acres of grassland and woods. The water mill is at the end of a 300 meter driveway which means more privacy.
The river Beraude and the mill stream almost surround the watermill and only meters from the house is a waterfall which was the overspill for the mill pool. The Beraude flows through the farm and encloses a small island with several pine trees that is peaceful for sitting on those very hot days as it always has is a wind coming off the river. We also regularly have picnics and barbecues there on hot summer afternoons.
The granary of the watermill has now been transformed into two double bedrooms en suite and the on the ground floor into a living area with kitchen, lounge etc. There is a shaded terrace by the waterfall which is perfect for outside dining or for enjoying a glass of wine on summer afternoons.
Since my wife and I are fortunate enough to live in the middle of a very interesting region and in the most beautiful countryside, we would like in the future to give you reports in which we will further explore the region and describe the abundant attractions of the region.
Why not Google Earth us at Le Moulin Chez Lord, 23430 France and zoom on down.
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