Immediately after the flooding, we began to assess the damage to the building and machinery. The lower millrace floor, including the waterwheel, gearing and a supporting beam and post over the slow race required significant repairs. It took nearly a year to return this part of the building to full use.
Once this work was complete, we turned our attention to the old Youth Hostel basement area, adjacent to the millrace. This area has not been publiclly accessible since the end of the hostel’s tenancy. Much of the space comprised of panels and partitions containing asbestos, which had, for many years, made assessment of the supporting beam structure behind impossible, until now.
Removing the asbestos proved a major undertaking and it quickly became apparent that the ancient oak beams and joists were in a terrible state of decay. The deterioration to the Mill’s supporting structure was so severe that over 50 acrow props were required to stop the building collapsing under its own weight.
A series of structural surveys and assessments quickly followed so we could thoroughly understand the severity of the situation. We soon realised that making the repairs would be a major project. We launched our ‘Save City Mill’ fundraising appeal in January 2017 and were amazed by the level of public support. The campaign was supported by our visitors, numerous Winchester businesses, as well as local community groups and National Trust supporter groups.