Pakenham Water Mill

Adults £3.50, Concessions £3.00, Children £2.00

Pakenham Water Mill, one of Suffolk's hidden gems, is situated in an area of outstanding natural beauty only 7 miles north-east of Bury St Edmunds. To find the Water Mill follow the brown signs from the A143.

The parish of Pakenham is unique in Britain in having both a working water mill - the last working water mill in Suffolk! - and a working windmill. The 18th C water mill is on a Domesday site where, for almost a thousand years, millers have been using the simple technology of water power to produce stone-ground wholemeal flour from locally grown wheat. Now owned by the Suffolk Building Preservation Trust, a team of dedicated volunteers continues the tradition.
Water from Pakenham Fen collects in the mill pond to turn the 16 foot high iron water-wheel which drives the mill-stones which turn the wheat into flour. The friendly guide will show you how the mill works, how to hoist sacks of wheat to the top of the mill, what the damsel does, the 1904 Blackstone oil engine, and much more besides.
In the Miller's House next door you can see the 18th C. brewing vat and bread oven in the kitchen, and in the shop you can buy wholemeal flour ground at the mill. Souvenirs, ice creams, etc are also on sale. Tearoom open at same times as mill.
There is a picnic area with pleasant walks beside the mill-pond, a beautiful setting with excellent opportunities for photography, sketching and painting - or just to enjoy the view!

Open to the public, the watermill is easily accessible by road or cycleway. A unique historical landmark, it has proved to be not only a popular attraction for mill enthusiasts, but also a source of fascination and enjoyment for tourists, ramblers, school parties, local artists and families - all looking for a day out with a difference.

Opening Times 2012:-
April 6nd until October 28th on:
SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS & PUBLIC HOLIDAYS 1.30pm - 5.00pm
THURSDAYS: 10.00am - 4.00pm (with milling demonstrations until 11.00am on the first Thursday of each month)


For more information on the wonderful town of Bury St Edmunds, please see:
Bury St Edmunds Guide

Accommodation in Bury St Edmunds Guide