Simonsbath Sawmill

Visit the restored Victorian sawmill at Simonsbath to see how trees, felled in some of Exmoor's most beautiful woodlands during vital conservation and enhancement work, are used to create the distinctive' footpath signs, gates, stiles, bridges and posts, that can be found throughout the Exmoor National Park. See first hand how traditional water power and newer methods of milling are used today. In 1996 the Exmoor National Park Authority purchased, with the help of a Heritage Lottery Fund grant, the sawmill and 9.6 hectares of meadows surrounding the leat. Following further grants restoration work began in 2001, first with the leat, then the turbine and, a year later, on the buildings. The leat takes water from both the River Barle and its Bale Water tributary. A short length of leat carries water from a weir on the Barle to a weir on the Bale Water then by a 500 metre long leat to the sawmill. The leat system had not been in operation since the flood disaster of 1952. By 2003 restoration was complete and the building opened for use as a sawmill.

The turbine and diesel engine were restored to drive the machinery, including the restored saw bench. The engine runs at times when the water level in the river is too low to extract water into the leat. Visit the restored Victorian sawmill at Simonsbath to see how trees, felled in some of Exmoor's most beautiful woodlands during vital conservation and enhancement work, are used to create the distinctive footpath signs, gates, stiles, and bridges, that can be found throughout Exmoor National Park. Hear from the Estate sawyer and see first-hand how traditional water-power and newer methods of milling are used today.

Simonbath Sawmill Notice

Simonbath Sawmill

The restoration of the National Park Authority's 19th century water-powered Simonsbath sawmill received a Highly Commended Certificate in the prestigious William Stansell/Somerset Buildings Preservation Trust Awards 2004. The sawmill project was led by local firm Louise Crossman Architects  A panel of judges, who which included TV presenter Kevin McCloud of Channel 4's Grand Designs programme, looked at new buildings as well as projects involving the alteration, conversion or repair of historic buildings, carried out in the county in the past two years.

The sawmill is now used to mill timber produced as a result of management of the National Park Authority's own woodlands by our field services team. The timber is used to produce fencing, stiles, gates and the distinctive hand routed signposts that mark the paths across Exmoor. The water powered sawmill offers a fascinating trip into history whilst showing the future of sustainable timber use on Exmoor. Built in the
early part of the 19th century as part of the Knight estate, it operated on water until 1952 when the floods that devastated Lynmouth also destroyed the weir. Funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund has enabled the National Park Authority to restore the mill to full working order. The mill can be seen from the footpath at Simonsbath bridge which follows the leat system that supplies the water to the mill.

Next time you come upon a small wooden sign which points towards your destination along a path, spare a thought for the story that lies behind that fingerpost. Every year tons of timber is produced from the National Park Authority's woodlands as a bi-product of conservation management work undertaken by the woodland team at field services depot based at Exford.
Some of the wood is left on the ground to form dead wood habitats to encourage invertebrates and the remainder is then either sold as firewood.

The better quality timber is carefully seasoned and stored and then milled at the Authority's historic sawmill at Simonsbath. The various sizes and lengths of wood then go back to the workshop where the Field Services Team transforms it into the distinctive signposts, bridges, gates and seats that you see throughout the National Park. A routing machine, guided freehand, is used to write the lettering on the wooden signposts.

Simonsbath

Simonsbath House

Contributed by: John Hardy