Watermills once formed part of the rhythm of everyday life across rural Dorset. Before steam, electricity and diesel engines transformed the countryside, Dorset’s rivers and streams powered hundreds of watermills across the county.
They ground grain into flour, supplied animal feed and provided an essential service to surrounding farming communities.
Many stood on larger rivers such as the Stour and Frome, while others made use of smaller waterways including the Devils Brook and the Corfe River. Although some have disappeared, a surprising number survive today, including the famous 1,000-year-old mill at Sturminster Newton, which remains in operation, and Walford Mill on the River Allen at Wimborne, now home to an artisan craft centre.
In this selection from the Barry Cuff Postcard Collection, four historic postcards take us from Upwey to Affpuddle and Dewlish, capturing not only the mills themselves but also glimpses of the people, transport and working life that surrounded them. Together they provide a window into a Dorset that has changed beyond recognition in little more than a century.
