Trefriw Woollen Mills is a woollen mill in the village of

Trefriw Trefriw () is a village and community in Conwy County Borough, Wales. It lies on the river Crafnant a few miles south of the site of the Roman fort of Canovium, sited at Caerhun. At the last three censuses, the population of the community ha ...

, Conwy, in northern Wales, that has been operating since around 1825.

History

The

Woollen industry in Wales The woollen industry in Wales was at times the country's most important industry, though it often struggled to compete with the better-funded woollen mills in the north of England, and almost disappeared during the 20th century. There is continue ...

was once an important part of the Welsh economy. Originally called the Vale of Conwy Woollen Mill, the mill was built in 1820 higher up than the present mill on the banks of the Afon Crafnant. Thomas Williams purchased the mill in 1859 and expanded the business. Products from the woollen mills were taken to the coast from the quay at Trefiw using the

River Conwy The River Conwy (; ) is a river in north Wales. From its source to its discharge in Conwy Bay it is long and drains an area of 678 square km. "Conwy" was formerly anglicised as "Conway." The name 'Conwy' derives from the old Welsh words ''c ...

. A in diameter overshot wheel powered spinning mules and jennies. The yarn was then woven into cloth on hand looms. A smaller wheel powered a

fulling Fulling, also known as tucking or walking ( Scots: ''waukin'', hence often spelt waulking in Scottish English), is a step in woollen clothmaking which involves the cleansing of woven cloth (particularly wool) to eliminate ( lanolin) oils, ...

mill, which washed the cloth and kneaded it with wooden hammers to thicken and strengthen it. The water wheels were dismantled around 1900 when the first hydroelectric turbine was installed. Workers at the Trefriw Woollen Mills competed in the 1918

National Eisteddfod of Wales The National Eisteddfod of Wales ( Welsh: ') is the largest of several eisteddfodau that are held annually, mostly in Wales. Its eight days of competitions and performances are considered the largest music and poetry festival in Europe. Competito ...

and won prizes for objects such as a sample of fine cream serge, a sample of white baby flannel and two double-size blankets. Two

Pelton wheel The Pelton wheel or Pelton Turbine is an Impulse (physics), impulse-type water turbine invented by American inventor Lester Allan Pelton in the 1870s. The Pelton wheel extracts energy from the impulse of moving water, as opposed to water's dead w ...

turbines made by Boving were installed in a former flour mill in 1942 and 1951 to deliver 60 kW to the mill machinery. The turbines are fed through a diameter pipe from a dam built in 1952 upstream and higher up. Most of the present machinery was acquired in the 1950s and 1960s. The present main building, with three shallow-sloping roofs, was erected around 1970. Several older mill buildings are behind the main building, accessible from the mill yard.

Today

Trefriw Woollen Mills is one of the few remaining woollen mills still in production in Wales. The mill continues to be owned and operated by the Williams family. It takes raw wool, which it cards, spins, dyes and weaves into tapestry bedspreads, tweeds and travelling rugs. The mill is known for traditional double-weave blankets. It has a shop, and is open to visitors at designated times. There is a garden with plants that provide natural soaps, dyes and fibres. In the summer there are demonstrations of hand spinning and rag rug making.

Notes

Sources

* * * * * * * * * {{Conwy Valley Textile mills in Wales Buildings and structures in Conwy County Borough Tourist attractions in Conwy County Borough Watermills in Wales