The Granary self-catering holiday cottage, Roch Mill, Pembs
Granary lounge area
Granary main room
Granary Bedroom
Shower room
Roch Mill
Roch Mill and adjacent Granary self-catering holiday cottage
Green Issues
While some way from being energy neutral we are endeavouring to improve the "green" attributes of Roch Mill and Granary. The first thing we did when we came here was to install a Reed Bed to clean up the effluent from our foul water drains. This works extremely well and the resulting clean and nutrient-rich water now feeds our bog-garden on its way to the lower pond and river. This summer we plan to install solar panels to supply most of our hot water needs and for our underfloor heating system we are investigating a water-source heat pump. In the future we hope to drive the Mill's underfloor heating system using a heat pump driven by the new water wheel. This combination will supply over 80% of our heating needs.
Bumblebees - Link to Bumblebee Conservation Trust
Pembrokeshire is home to many types of bumblebee, including five endangered species. Our meadows are rich in tussock grass, which offers an ideal nesting area for bumblebees - as evidenced by the large numbers that buzz around our garden. However, the meadows are gradually being invaded by bracken and brambles. We try to control the onslaught by mechanical means but this year we will be introducing some wild ponys to help trample the unwanted growth. Importantly, their hoof prints will also create micro sites that enable wild flower seeds to germinate and we hope that over the coming years this will lead to the creation of extensive wild-flower meadows. Unlike sheep and cattle, ponies are particularly selective eaters and prefer to eat grass rather than the wild flowers.
Roch Mill and Granary in winter
Link to Granary self-catering holiday cottage Pembrokeshire - home page
Roch Mill, Pembrokeshire, which has its origins dating back to the 13th century, was last used to grind corn around 1953 employing equipment installed in 1868 (and earlier). Most of Roch mill's machinery is still intact and we are gradually undertaking its restoration. During 2009 we reinstated the water wheel and we'll complete the project by adding its wooden buckets in the next few months. Ultimately we hope to extract some heat energy from its operation.
Situated inside the Pembrokeshire National Park and just two miles from spectacular beaches like Newgale, Druidstone, Nolton Haven and Solva harbour, the six acre Roch mill estate nestles in the secluded Brandybrook valley. This pretty little river boasts a significance far greater than its size would suggest as it forms the western end of the boundary between the “Welshry” and “Englishry”. It is the historical Lansker line and marks the limit of Norman influence nine centuries ago. Even today place names to the north of the line are nearly all Welsh whereas those to the south are predominantly English. Similarly the Welsh language is much more frequently heard towards St Davids, north of the Lansker line.