Arlington Mill, Bibury, Gloucestershire

I drove home from London at lunchtime for a couple of days rest from work. I am knackered. I took the classic A40 route as far as Burford, then a B-road to Cirencester via Bibury where I wanted to stock up with fresh trout from the trout farm. A four-for-three offer is quite attractive. The fish are selected each morning, so I can freeze them when they are really fresh.

The trout farm is set beside the River Coln, utilising the old mill pond system of Arlington Mill, which dates back to the 17th Century. The cloth produced at the nearby Arlington Row of weavers' cottages was sent to Arlington Mill for fulling (degreasing). Until recently part of the mill, the bit on the right in my picture was used as a museum, with the wheel still intact and working.

I noticed it had closed a while ago, and now the builders are in. The mill leat runs beside the building and the Trout Farm shop is just on the other bank. I went up to where the temporary fencing had been erected and noticed the stacks of roofing stones which were traditionally used as roof tiles hereabouts. This young builder was standing and chipping off the old and worn parts of the old stones to rescue any still useable parts. I chatted to him through the fence and he explained that the working part of the mill was fully retained, inside a development of houses and flats in the large building complex. He was going to be busy for a couple of more weeks refitting the stones with new, or re-cycled ones from various sources, including France!

I am so glad to be out in the countryside again, after a couple of weeks in inner city London. I have to go back in two days for another session, but I will survive!