Lower Shide Barley Mill

The subject of discussion is the concept of “Lower Mill.” The Shide railway station, located on the Isle of Wight Central Railway, is situated on the western side of a square brick structure that has been repurposed as a workshop and depot for the Isle of Wight River and Water Authority.

The current structure, known as Lower Mill, has limited preservation of its original architectural characteristics. The mill has a “L” form configuration, with an undershot wheel situated within the eastern section of the L-shaped structure. An additional gas-engine was employed to provide additional power until around 1930. The water wheel was positioned at the rear of the structure, housed in a shed constructed of corrugated iron. Currently, the only extant form of gearing is limited to the water wheel.

The brick structure, which consists of three stories, has undergone modifications including the blocking of many window apertures and the replacement of its roof with corrugated asbestos material. In 1959, the mill house located east of the theshide mill was removed due to its deteriorated condition. A spur rail extended from the station, leading into the mill yard and farther into the huge chalk mine located behind the mill.

• http://www.old-maps.co.uk

• Roy Richardson
• The Mills of the Isle of Wight. J. Kenneth Major. Charles Skilton Ltd. 1970
• old-maps.co.uk