Flouring collaboration between Cambridgeshire National Trust treasures
- Published:
- 09 October 2024
Houghton Mill, the last working watermill on the River Great Ouse, will now be producing flour from wheat grown on Wimpole Estate. The two National Trust properties are located just 19 miles from each other.
Farm Manager at Wimpole Home Farm, David Hassall, said: “We are really proud of the way we grow our wheat at Wimpole Estate. Each year, we produce over 200 tonnes of grain, and we’re thrilled to be able to give people the option to buy flour that is both locally grown and milled. This partnership with Houghton Mill not only supports our local community but also helps reduce food miles and significantly lowers carbon emissions, contributing to a more sustainable future.”
“The milling process is environmentally friendly” adds Ayse Lambert, Visitor Experience Officer at Houghton Mill. “A traditional water wheel enables the mill to produce stoneground flour. When river levels are not suitable for the water wheel to operate, a set of hydro-electrically powered millstones enable the mill to continue to operate. Being able to mill locally grown grain from Wimpole fits perfectly with our sustainable ethos.”
Before leaving Wimpole Estate, the grain was cleaned, a process that involved blowing air through it to remove seeds, weed particles and chaff. It was then put into 20kg bags for transportation. On arrival at Houghton, the bags of grain – totalling 4 tonnes – were put into a specially-made storage area, ready to be milled over the coming year.
Thanks to a dedicated team of volunteer millers, visitors to Houghton Mill can watch, hear and smell the flour being milled on Sundays until 3 November (weather depending) and even take some home with them. Bags of Houghton Mill’s flour are available all year-round from the Houghton Mill tearoom as well as National Trust gift shops at nearby Anglesey Abbey and Wicken Fen. The delicious scones available at Houghton’s tearoom are also made with flour fresh from the mill.
