Howsham Hall and Howsham Mill to be linked by hydro electricity

Howsham Hall and its Gothic former corn mill are set to be reunited thanks to a plan to bring hydro-electricity to the Grade I-listed house. Sharon Dale reports. Pictures by Gary Longbottom.

Most centuries-old buildings have had their fair share of ups and downs and Howsham Hall, near York, is no exception. Built in 1610 by Sir William Bamburgh, the Jacobean mansion was initially well cared for. It was treated to a new east front in 1709 and enjoyed a lavish makeover in the 1770s.John Carr is thought to have designed the splendid Georgian remodelling and extension, which was paid for by the hall’s wealthy owner, Nathaniel Cholmley. Ever the perfectionist, it was Carr who apparently decided that the hall’s Capability Brown-designed parkland needed a focal point in the form of a fashionable folly.The site of an old corn mill on an island in the River Derwent was just the spot and so the industrial building was given a grand, Gothic Revival-style exterior with ornate crocheted finials, quatrefoils and a roof topped with a statue of the goddess Diana. It continued to produce flour amid this decadent architectural flourish while providing a suitably interesting view for those residing in the big house.The hall and its mill folly were sympatico for the next 172 years until bad luck hit them both. The mill ceased operating in 1947. A year later, the hall was sold and later turned into a prep school.Both buildings fell into a sad and sorry state of disrepair until recently when they were rescued, revived and given new and useful lives. Now, the Grade I-listed home and its Gothic mill are set to be reunited and this time there will be a physical link. The mill is to supply Howsham Hall with clean, eco-friendly electricity.

Daniel Gill from Dine, right, with David Mann

It’s all thanks to a run of recent good luck that has seen the derelict mill restored while its water wheel helps to produce hydro-electricity. The historic building was initially rescued by local couple David and Mo Mann, who in 2004 established the Howsham Mill Renewable Heritage Trust run by volunteers and led by trustees.Thanks to grants, funding and work by volunteers, the Georgian structure was renovated while its water wheel was restored and connected, via a gearbox, to an electricity generator. Two Archimedes screw turbines were also installed to increase the output and the hydro-electricity is sold to the National Grid. The income helps to fund the upkeep of the historic mill building, which is also an environmental education centre, and pays for a freelance education officer and a bookkeeper. At about the same time, in 2007, Howsham Hall was bought by wealthy fruit importer David Pratt who spared no expense on renovating the 37,000 sq ft property, which is set in 90 acres.After realising he was staying there only four or five times a year, he tried to sell it then changed his mind and agreed to lease it to Leeds-based Dine Events. It is now available to hire for weddings, celebrations and events, corporate etreats and private stays. Dine founder Daniel Gill, who recently bought Rise Hall, near Hull, from TV property expert Sarah Beeny, spotted the opportunity to connect Howsham Hall and Howsham Mill via electrical currents. He and David Mann spent 18 months discussing the logistics of getting the hydro-electricity to the house before deciding to go ahead with it.

The mill now produces hydro electricity and is an enviromental resource centre

There are trenches to be dug and 400 metres of cable to be laid across fields leading to the house, but when the big switch on happens it will be mutually beneficial. “The hall will get sustainable electricity and we can sell it to them for less than they pay the National Grid. Meanwhile we will get more for it than if we sold it to the Grid,” says David Mann, who would like to see the Government bring back subsidies for more hydro-electricity projects, each of which could potentially power a small village.Daniel adds: “We spend £800 a month on electricity for Howsham Hall at the moment and we expect that to rise as we have more events. We hope there will be a saving by using power from the mill and it’s sustainable. There’s every reason to do it.”He took a 10-year lease on the hall last year and has already spent £200,000 on making it suitable and compliant as a commercial venue and let. Running costs are also £200,000 per year.

Howsham Hall's drawing room

“It’s an amazing place with a tranquil feel and it’s in a beautiful, private spot easily accessible for the A64. I knew it would be perfect for Dine Events,” says Daniel.“We invested a lot of money in it so it will be year three before we see a profit. We had to get a permit to operate from the planning authority, make sure we adhered with fire safety requirements, install high speed wifi and add creature comforts that guests expect.”Daniel is grateful for the previous multi-million spend by the owner. It took two years to make the hall habitable while restoring the surviving Jacobean and Georgian features, including the Doric columns, elaborate cornicing, stucco friezes and fireplaces.“He is happy for us to go ahead with the hydro-electricity project,” says Daniel. “We are also considering installing a water source heat pump to run the radiators. Who knows, the hall could soon be carbon neutral?”For details on hiring Howsham Hall visit www.dine.co.uk. Howsham Mill is open on Sundays, 11am to 4pm, and for pre-arranged visits and events, www.howshammill.org.uk. MannPower Consulting, Archimedes screw specialists, www.mannpower-hydro.co.uk

Feel the power

The mill uses the power of the flowing River Derwent to generate hydro-electricity. The gravitational energy in the water falling over the weir is converted into electrical energy via the restored water wheel and two Archimedes screw turbines.The original screw, the first in the UK, was installed in 2007; a second larger screw was added during 2017 and has been generating since May 2018. The wheel and screws each drive a generator via a gearbox.The output of electricity is determined by the flow of water and head, i.e. the height of the fall over the weir, so is dependent on the river level. Too little flow and output is reduced, too much flow and the head declines and eventually generation ceases.Maximum output is approximately 55KW, enough for the average demand of about 100 houses. Most of the electricity is exported to the National Grid via an underground cable that joins a high-voltage cable at the road bridge and soon it will be exported to Howsham Hall.