[Paul_in_S17]

The old Malin Bridge Mill at the bottom of Stanington Road I think is empty at the moment.

I remember in the 1980's when the Comet were there they had the Water Wheel going around most weekends.

Has anyone any memory's of this & what is the future of the Wheel now?.

[H.P]

We passed the old water wheel a week ago...I must say that this looks like a case of another historic building being allowed to rot away..shame really, I used to love standing and watching it when I was a child my dad used to walk us down there some summer nights and then we would fetch chips from the supper spot .makes you think tho..when i was a child that river bank over the bridge was so vibrant and green ..now it just looks overgrown and run down. And the wheel itself looks ready to collapse .. why do people allow this to happen? soon there will be no heritige left for our children to enjoy..

[little malc]

Yes,I well remember the water wheel working when Comet had the premises, if I remember rightly, refurbing the wheel and keeping it going was part of the conditions negotiated with Comet when they took on the premises.
Since then, it has had a variety of users, it is a shame if it is allowed to get to the state were it will be lost for good, it is indeed one of the few remaining bits of Sheffield's heritage.
The good old cash strapped council of course, seem to have no regard for our history, as has been mentioned in other threads, I am sure they would find finance to suport the latest influx of asylem seekers, or anything of that nature! but not spend a penny on mainaining our heritage.

[jackthedog]

It is such a shame. I grew up around that area and I used to sit up on the wall and look at the wheel. Infact my school (Malin Bridge) did a few trips where they went inside to look at the building - unfortunately I missed these trips!

It is such a shame, because it's a local landmark, and not much of the Loxley and Riverlin Valley's industrial past stands anymore.

[Ned Ludd]

little malc is wrong to blame the council (in this instance)
The building is in the hands of a property developer who is looking to maximise returns in the development of accommodation.
They are in dispute with the council who are seeking to make sure that the waterwheel is properly conserved and that the site isn't subject to over-development. It's stalemate at the moment with no work or preservation being done at all.

[Paul_in_S17]

Originally posted by jackthedog
[B]It is such a shame. I grew up around that area and I used to sit up on the wall and look at the wheel. Infact my school (Malin Bridge) did a few trips where they went inside to look at the building - unfortunately I missed these trips!

I also Went to Malin Bridge School 1982-1988 & used to live on Ellenborough Road, do I know You?

[jackthedog]

Originally posted by Paul @ S17
I also Went to Malin Bridge School 1982-1988 & used to live on Ellenborough Road, do I know You?

Haha, i doubt it - I was born in '82!

[robo]

I worked on the Comet store at Malin Bridge and part of the deal was that the wheel and the sluice from the river that fed the wheel had to be put back in working order.,which it was after many months work.The wheel had to be refurbished and rebalanced,not a simple task apparentley and the only person in sheffield who had this knowledge worked as a blacksmith opposite the Comet store.This chap got everything back in working order and it was a sight to behold watching the wheel working again,sadly it was all in vain as the site is now yet another Sheffield eyesore.

[snowboarder]

What a wonderful working museum and mill it would make though...if only someone took the initiative and set up a working attraction. Being a very rare undershot wheel I reckon it would attract nationwide interest.

I dont know if the site is still for sale or not.....the building plans fell through from what I heard. I wonder if the old mill part could be bought separate from the old COmet eyesore concrete block. One of the oldest buildings left in Sheffield I hope it has some preservation status attached to it. As far as I know the ONLY surviving example of, forget the term for it, if u look at the front of the old mill there is a hatchway in the wall near the roof where sacks of grain were once hauled up on chains into the roof staorage area. I am sure no other mill buildings retain this feature, either at abbeydale hamlet or elsewhere.