Belvedere Mill, Chalford straddles the River Frome

I drove at lunchtime to meet my friend Philip B., who runs the Stroud Community TV, and two women film-makers. We had met them through the recent SCTV Awards event we'd run and we decided to see if we might find mutual areas of work together in the Five Valleys. Today was a meeting to get to know more about each other, but we've agreed to meet again soon to further explore two local projects we'd  discussed today. I'm really pleased and it was so interesting to meet such talented people.

On the way home I turned off the main road outside the village where we'd met and drove two hundred yards down to Belvedere Mill which sits astride the River Frome. A bridge crosses the river there which allows the road to cross the valley and ascend to Minchinhampton. I've blipped here before but the differing light always changes the scene.

According to web sources it is a former cloth mill, built in the early 19th century of coursed rubble limestone and a Welsh slate roof. You can just see the large brick-lined round arch to mill stream to right. On the left is an attached sluice gate apparatus. It was also known as Tayloe's Mill from its 18th century owners. There must have been a different mill building then.

In the 1920s the mill was used to build the bodies of cars for the Hampton Car Works. In the late 20th century it was used for the manufacture of fruit machines for the gaming industry. Apparently it is now used for the production of electronic controls for gaming machines and control units for the white goods industry.