Where we are and what we do

The Bridge Mill is a working water mill and organic smallholding of 16 acres situated on the River Tamar in the small village of Bridgerule near Holsworthy in Devon. Detailed directions on how to find the mill are at the bottom of this page.

The water mill was restored to working order in 2012 and opens by arrangement to adult groups throughout the summer. We also open to the public during National Mills Weekend, the second weekend in May. On 14th May 2017, we will be celebrating our 20th year of opening for this event and plans are being made for a special occasion with ‘Morris and Madrigals’ in addition to the usual ‘mammoth’ plant sale, homemade lunches and teas.

From Holsworthy, take the road to Bude (A 3072). Pass Rydon Park, then the Golf Club on the left. After the golf club there are a couple of bends in the road before you reach a left turn signed to Bridgerule. Turn left here and drive for three miles. Enter the village of Bridgerule passing the church on your right. Drive down the hill (take care as the road is very narrow). The mill is on the right at the bottom of the hill opposite “Short and Abbott” agricultural engineers.

From Bude, take the A3072 to Holsworthy. Turn right at Red Post on the B3254 towards Launceston.Take the second left turn to Bridgerule village. Drive past the Bridge Inn, over the river bridge then immediately left by the chapel. The Bridge Mill is the second property on your left, opposite “Short and Abbott”  agricultural engineers.

CONTACT US

By telephone 01288 381341

               here

Open Gardens 2016

We are open all year!

Adult groups of 15+ are also welcome by arrangement at other times in aid of the National Gardens Scheme nursing charities (Macmillan, Marie Curie etc.). Visit the

National Gardens Scheme website for more details. To make a booking, please contact Rosie on 01288 381341

The smallholding and gardens will also be open on 28th May 2017 for the  National Gardens Scheme (the Yellow Book) from 11am to 5pm. Tea and homemade cakes will be served all day and there will be an exhibition of Embroideries by Linda Chilton on show in the white barn.

Admission is £4 for adults, children are free.

For schools and nursery groups we offer free visits, usually during the spring and summer terms, under the Educational Access Scheme as part of Higher Level Stewardship administered by Natural England. Under the new rules we’ll only be able to welcome schools/groups that follow the National Curriculum and are inspected by OFSTED. The visits last for two hours and are for a minimum of six children in the group plus adults. The visits must be linked to farming, the environment or the curriculum.

Alan and Rosie have been hosting school visits to the Bridge Mill since 1988. For more information click the Free visits link.

To book a visit ring Rosie on 01288 381341.

Yes, that really is Anne Swithinbank and her husband John standing with me in the Alan’s veg. garden, in the rain! They very kindly agreed to open the 10th Anniversary Bridgerule Open Gardens on 19th June in aid of the Devon and Cornwall Air Ambulance. It poured with rain all day but they stayed smiling and made a tour of all ten gardens that were open  - after all, real gardeners don’t mind rain do they!

Writing about the event in ‘West’ the magazine of the Western Morning News, Anne said of the garden:

  ‘The Bridge Mill was delightfully informal with a wildness that takes an experienced hand to manage. This continued into a herb garden and lean-to greenhouse of great charm. By contrast, a veg garden using slate to edge slightly raised beds was formal and productive’

The total raised that day was an amazing £3600!

We had some very successful open days last year.

Firstly, on 15th May, for National Mills Weekend we welcomed over 400 visitors to the mill and smallholding. Alan was kept very busy grinding flour in the mill for visitors to take away and Bude Choral Society found that their plants sold like hot cakes! The real cakes and lunches were also very popular. 

In 2017, the Sunday of National Mills Weekend falls on 14th May and we’re planning a special occasion to mark 20 years of opening in this way.

The 29th May, when we opened for the National Gardens Scheme was another lovely sunny day. Lots of people came to support this worthy cause and we raised  £1069 for nursing charities; Macmillan, Marie Curie etc.

A fantastic result.

Bridgerule Village Open Gardens