Hempstead Watermill

Hempstead Watermill was powered by the use of a water wheel until 1905 when the wheel was removed and replaced with a more efficient turbine. The turbine was controlled by a sluice which was also installed at the time. At the time of these changes the mill had five sources of water. They were the upper pond which was swept away in floods in 1912, Old Decoy now called Selbrigg Pond, New Decoy and Horsepit Pond. This last pond was originally the farm horse pond for near-by Red House Farm, the pond was supplemented with water that was runoff from the farm and its buildings. A sluice had been added to the pond in order to increase the water in the mill pond. Even then the mill only had enough…