Water-Power Mills of South Lakeland by Mike Davies-Shiel.
ISBN 978 1 910237 15 1 Hardback. 222 pages, illustrated with 198 colour, black & white photgraphs, drawings and maps.
Many of you will have known or known of Mike Davies-Shiel who was a tireless and meticulous researcher and recorder of Cumbrian industrial history. He had a particular interest in mills and in 1978 Dalesman published his Watermills of Cumbria, a detailed study of corn mills, a book which is still in demand today.
In 1930 Titus Wilson published John Somervell’s Water Power Mills of South Westmorland. Nearly 35 years later Mike started to record the water mills of the Lake District armed with this book which he annotated in his inimitable style. His aim was to produce an update of Somervell’s work and for 30 plus years he researched and recorded, surveyed and photographed mills throughout the county. It was his intention to write the book after he could no longer be active in the field and at the time of his death it was thought that book had not been written. However, to the delight of molinologists, those interested in history and South Lakeland these chapters were found on his computer by his wife and son.
As no-one who knew Mike could possibly doubt, the book is detailed and meticulously researched. It is also highly readable. No wonder it is Cumbria Life’s Book of the Month.
The book is £24 + postage (£2.95 in the UK) If you happen to be attending a fair, conference etc where we are exhibiting and would like a copy do let me know and I will bring one along.