Many old mills can be found in the Nailsworth - Stroud - Stroud - Chalford valleys, and this section will try and document as many of the remaining (and not remaining!) buildings as possible. Mills will be added as and when I photograph / research them. These old buildings range from little more than a tall chimney to complete buildings, some of which are in the process of being converted into upmarket flats.

The woollen trade was the principle industry in the area, with Gloucestershire being famous for it's superfine broadcloth. This was normally sold as ' white' or undyed, most of which was intended for the overseas market, but some was sent to Coventry to be finished. Many of the mills turned their hands to silk throwing, as the woollen trade declined. Later the Mills would be used for car manufacture, carpet production, walking stick production, pin making and these days electronics. The mills were originally water powered, so they are located beside a small river/stream. Not seen now, except in one or two examples, would have been a large body of water or 'mill pond' upstream of the mill building to provide sufficient power to turn the waterwheels and thus the mill machinery. These old mill ponds are now often filled in or much reduced in size to accomadate new building development. Later steam engines were added, some of which could work in conjunction with the water wheel.

During the working life of the mills, many of them will have had a change of use as they took on new owners. Where possible, this site will try to document these different uses, but information on the mills is patchy. Therefore if you spot a mistake or can offer me some better information e-mail it to me and if it can be used it will be. Credit will be given.

The cloth industry has many strange and at times totally meaningless terminology. For a glossary of these terms click this link

Belvedere Mill	Found at Chalford complete with mill pond.
Bourne Mill	Now a car scrapyard and cycle shop
Brimscombe Mill	A small collection of more recent mill buildings
Bliss Mill	Now known as the Chalford Industrial Estate
Churches Mill	Old mill building found at Woodchester.
Dunkirk Mill	Converted into flats
Ham Mill	Currently empty
Henry Workmans Mill	Rebuilt by Quaker Chemicals
Holcombe Mill
Iron Mills
Kimmin's Mill	Found in Sainsburys car park
Lightpill Mill	On the Bath Rd Trading Estate.
Lot Mill	Newmarket.
Longfords Mill	Converted into very expensive flats
Port Mill	Brimscombe
Southfields Mill
St Marys Mill	Walking stick factory.
Woodchester Mill	At one point home to Bentley Pianos

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Sources:	Stroud and the five valleys in old photographs. ISBN 0 86299 015 7.
	Industrial Archaeology Series, Gloucestershire Wollen Mills 1967

Disclaimer: The information given about mills is as accurate as possible but I cannot be held responsible for any inaccurate information!