This Wednesday at 8pm, Channel 4 will feature the Flint Mill, Staffordshire, on their Restoration Man Series.

Protectahome are proud to be associated with the resurrection of this delightful historic property having installed a cavity drain waterproofing system to all basement walls and floors in the mill as part of a huge refurbishment project.

Dating from around 1775 the flint grinding watermill was built to supply the growing pottery industry in Staffordshire. The mill was built into a steep bank of the foundations of an earlier stone built mill that occupied the site. It was constructed with massive 700mm thick solid brick walls and a heavy oak framed roof structure designed to enable the mill capability of dealing with the stresses created by the grinding machinery.

Advancements in steam power allowed flint grinding to be integrated into factories and the mill was shut down, subsequently being used as an ancillary workshop for the adjacent flour mill. Further evolution came in the 20th century when the building was converted into a maintenance garage for lorries operated by the flour mill owners.

Finally, in the 1960’s it was abandoned and became a dumping ground for the rest of the Mill Farm complex. Its water supply was also cut off when the upstream dam was destroyed by floods in 1987.

By 2010 the structure had begun to collapse from over 200 years of use and subsequent neglect, a restoration plan was created to bring the building back to its former glory.

Protectahome worked closely with the client to design and deliver a guaranteed waterproofing system that would provide the required end use and environmental grade. The building has since been transformed from an industrial wreck into a characterful home utilising basement rooms for general living accommodation, bedrooms, a dining room and bathrooms.

For more information on Protectahome’s work with Flint Mill our case study is available now.