Melin Rhos Fawr (Mona Mill)

Melin Rhos Fawr, 2004

This mill, located in Llanfair Mathafarn Eithaf near Brynteg, has a literary connection as it is mentioned in George Borrow's book Wild Wales, his account of a tour around Wales published in 1862. The description of his visit is in Chapter XXXII, when he is looking for the birthplace of the Welsh poet Goronwy Owen. He meets the miller of Melin Rhos Fawr, John Jones, who invites him for a meal and accompanies him in his tour around the area to see Owen's house and the local church.

Despite what some accounts say, the book doesn't refer to it as "Mona Mill", just "the mill". He does, however, pronounce his gratitude for the hospitality shown to him with "Honour to the miller of Mona and his wife", which probably simply refers to the "miller of Anglesey", as Borrow uses Mona and Anglesey interchangeably.

The mill itself was built in 1757. The above mentioned John Jones was the miller in the mid 1800s until his death in 1877. His widow Martha took over until her death in 1889, and it was subsequently run by William Jones. It closed in 1910.

Melin Rhos Fawr, 2004

When the photographs on this page were taken the mill, along with the adjoining house, was just changing hands. The previous owner, who had inherited it from his father and grandfather, said that his grandfather had stripped out the machinery for scrap metal for the war effort. At that time the adjoining building was a storehouse but the owner later converted it to a house. He had also obtained planning permission to convert the mill but was never able to, and the permission had lapsed. The new owner was intending to reapply for permission, but by August 2011 there was no sign of any renovation occurring yet.

See other images of this windmill at: