Ancient Water Mill ---- Construction of a Self Catering Holiday Cottage
Posted: Saturday, December 26, 2009
by Tom Davies
Moulin Chez Lord
We have here the chronicle of 700 year old mill which now is a holiday home hidden in the Creuse countryside. Here we have one of a series of items about the history and describing the area of Le Moulin de Pont de Chez Lord, France 23430.
When the mill was built the Limousin region of France was ruled by English military. The mill was built in about the year 1280 and the regional commander of the garrison lived in a dwelling alongside a bridge over the small river Beraude. Perhaps because he was a member of the English
Le Moulin de Chez Lord (which means The Mill of the House of the Lord) was built close by the house of the English milord. It was required to make the flour to prepare bread to feed the military and also to mill the oats for the horses. It is not generally known that the humble spud was not known in France until the middle of the 15th century. Thus the construction of the water mill was very much earlier than the arrival in Europe of the potato and bread was was on every table. The mill had been running for three hundred years before the potato first arrived from South America and slowly became a staple part of the European diet. This is why for any permanent garrison it was vital to have a dependable supply of flour.
To get the era when the mill was built into perspective we can explain that it was the thirteenth century, the time of Richard the Lionheart, who became King of England and Aquitaine the other side of Bordeaux in 1189. So the water mill started life in the period of the crusades and the notorious sheriff of Nottingham in England. The involvement 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 to The Little Ice Age. The Thames in London froze over on some occasions and the northern Europeans retreated from their settlements in Iceland as the ice cap moved south. The sun was less active and the Earth suffered this Little Ice Age which persisted for some 500 years ending in the mid 1850s. Crops regularly failed during this time ... so much for NOW being a time of specific weather change. Here in France the temperature was some 2 degrees below the modern average so here at the watermill in winter it was colder and no doubt wetter than now makes me feel sorry for our predecessors.
The water mill was active until the 1980s when it prepared cow meal. The cottage has now been changed into a holiday cottage in this central part of France known as the Limousin.
Now venturing eastwards you come to the Massive Central which is a mountainous sector well known for winter sports. Turning now towards the west a short trip brings one to Limoges, very famous for its porcelain manufacture and traveling further the beautiful port of La Rochelle the largest coastal resort in the Bay of Biscay. This fascinating resort is now also a holiday resort and an important center for yachting.
The region called the Limousin is a new one on the tourist scene as it was for many years a mainly French holiday area however it is becoming well known. It is a locale of forests, hills and valleys with many charming small villages nestled in the hillsides. The region contains numerous lakes in the many valleys which results in spectacular views.
Most outdoor activities are easily available. Particularly notable among these are the wonderful hikes of every rank of severity so suiting all levels of skill and levels of eagerness.
The historic watermill is 700 years old, and was built to supply wheat flour for English forces who were stationed locally to guard over the British wine interests based in Bordeaux. The watermill is hidden in a valley and consists of 10 hectares of pasture and woodland. The watermill lies at the end of a 300 meter driveway which provides tranquility.
The river Beraude and the mill stream almost encircle the watermill and only a few yards from the cottage is a waterfall which was the runoff for the mill pool. The Beraude flows through the property and forms a delightful island with several trees that is excellent|perfect|peaceful|wonderful] for relaxing on those hot days because there always is a wind off the river. We also frequently have picnics and barbecues down there on warm summer days.
The upstairs part of the mill has now been made into two double bedrooms en suite and the downstairs into a living area with kitchen, lounge etc. There is a shaded terrace by a waterfall which is perfect for al fresco eating or for enjoying a bottle during hot evenings.
As my wife and I are lucky enough to reside in the center of this very interesting area and in the wonderful countryside, we would like in the future to give you stories in which we will further explore the region and portray the abundant attractions of the region.
Why not Google Earth us at Le Moulin Chez Lord, 23430 France and zoom on down and see us!
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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)Hi Tom. Welcome to the Searchwarp Community. Great article, very interesting and well-written. Wishing you a joyous New Year. ~Nenita~
Your article is both interesting and informative. Welcome to Search Warp.Linda D
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