This past weekend, I had the pleasure of volunteering at Cann Mills in Dorset for National Mills Weekend —a nationwide celebration of Britain’s milling heritage organised by the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB). The 2025 theme, “Mills in Time,” encouraged communities to explore and share the visual history of mills through art and photography.
Cann Mills, home to Stoate & Sons, is a working watermill powered by the River Sturkel and has been in operation since 1947. The Stoate family has been milling since 1832, and today, fifth and sixth-generation millers Michael and Ollie Stoate continue the tradition, producing organic stoneground flours using French Burr millstones.
During the event, we fired up the wood-fired oven at PANARY, the baking school based at Cann Mills, where I once worked with Paul Meery – Master Baker. Together with a team of volunteers, we baked around 80 pizzas, delighting visitors with the aroma and taste of freshly baked goods made from flour milled just steps away. Returning to familiar surroundings and contributing to the celebration was a wonderful experience.
The weekend was filled with engaging conversations, the rhythmic sounds of the waterwheel, and the joy of sharing food and stories. It was a heartwarming reminder of the importance of preserving our milling heritage and the communities that keep these traditions alive.
