Houghton Mill
Newsletter of AOUG in the East of England (06)
Welcome | Newsletter | Diary Dates
Anniversary Event Region 06
On a lovely sunny Sunday morning on 14th June I went to Houghton Mill, near St Ives, Cambridgeshire, to join other members to celebrate that Region`s Anniversary picnic lunch. The then Executive Representative, Jane Richardson, had arranged picnic tables under a brightly coloured umbrella.
My particular interest in travelling a long distance was that as a child, my brother and twin sister were taught to swim in a nearby stretch of the river Ouse - when I say taught to swim - we were tipped out of a boat and we soon learnt the art.
The Mill survives intact and is mentioned in the Domesday Book - In Houghton the Abbott of Ramsey had 7 hides to the geld. There is a church, no priest, and 1 mill rendering 20s` (A hide usually refers to the amount of land to support one household)
Flour is still produced and sold from the mill and at lunch time the enormous mill wheel started turning. It produced such turbulence in the surrounding water that one lad was thrown out of his dinghy - no harm was caused and he repeated his ducking to much applause from the onlookers. The event was very enjoyable and invoked many happy memories.
Ramsey Hertzog, Chairman