The Mill and the Floss

I had an early start this morning, travelling across London and then out to Rayleigh in Essex, for a routine check-up at the dentist just after 9 a.m. I grew up in Rayleigh and this has been my dental surgery from the age of four, hence the ridiculous distance from my home in Buckinghamshire. I usually arrive a bit early and have a literal wander down memory lane, visiting my childhood haunts. I find it somehow reassuring that the town hasn't really changed all that much in the 40 years since I lived there. It was such a beautiful morning, with a clear blue sky and bright sunshine, that I decided to go and take some photos of Rayleigh Mill at the top of our old road.

The Mill was built over 200 years ago, and is now Grade II listed. I love to look at old turn-of-the-century photos of places I know well, and found one of Rayleigh Mill in about 1900. Back in the 60's when I was a child it had no sails, as they had been removed decades earlier. New sails were made for it in the 1970's as part of a restoration project, but they are not attached to any machinery for running a millstone. The Mill has certainly had a chequered history over the past two centuries, including being involved in a murder.

To my great relief, the dentist and the hygienist gave my teeth a clean bill of health, and encouraged me to continue with brushing and flossing twice daily. I would have loved to go back to the Mill afterwards for a look around inside, as it's open on Wednesday mornings during the summer, but sadly I had to go straight back to London for the day's work.

So, another one to add to my ever-growing list of places to visit...