The corn-mill is the most complete of its kind
in England and probably the oldest Cistercian mill in Europe.(32)
Although the cornmill has not been excavated, it has undergone rigorous
archaeological analysis.(33)
This three-storey building originally extended over 100 feet long
and was over 25 feet wide. In the thirteenth century the building
was extended and a third storey added to house a granary. Much of
this thirteenth-century structure survives.(34)
The cornmill was driven by a mill-race. To create this, part of
the River Skell was diverted, about two hundred yards uphill from
the mill. At the time of the Dissolution in the sixteenth century,
the cornmill was driven by two undershot wheels and was considerably
larger than most other structures of this kind in England; in fact,
it has been suggested that it was more similar to French than English
water-mills.(35)
The cornmill continued to function after the Dissolution and remained
in use until 1937.