156-Year-Old Cider Mill Crushes First Apples in a Century

After sitting silent in a museum for decades, a 156-year-old cider mill from Somerset, England, is making apples sing again in Braidwood, Australia.

Carpenter Ned Bott spent four weeks over 18 months bringing the Albert Day Foundry mill back to life. With no instruction manual available for machinery this old, he had to recreate most parts from scratch based on what remained of the original frame.

"We spent hours trying to find images of a similar type of mill, but to no avail," Bott said. He rebuilt the timber parts, hopper, catch box, steel-toothed rollers, and countless forged components.

His breakthrough came just weeks ago when someone in Hestercombe, UK posted photos of an identical mill. The discovery revealed missing details that will help him complete the final touches.

The mill performed beautifully at its first public demonstration at the Braidwood Museum and Heritage Centre last weekend. Unlike typical museum restorations, this one was built to work regularly, not just sit behind glass.

Local cider maker Gary Sully has an even bigger dream for the restored equipment. Years ago, he grafted trees from the remnants of the original Wilton Cider Factory at Majors Creek, where this very mill once operated.

"My dream is to get enough apples off the trees we've grafted and create the same cider they made in that day, using the same equipment," Sully said.

The Ripple Effect

This mill represents a watershed moment in cider-making history. When Ingenio mills like this one appeared in the 1670s, they revolutionized the industry by separating apple pips and stalks from the juice, creating a smoother, less bitter drink.

Bott plans to restore an early 1900s apple press next that can handle over a tonne at a time. Together, the two pieces will recreate the complete cider-making process exactly as it existed over a century ago.

The project started during COVID lockdown when Bott built his own makeshift cider mill from household objects. He'd gather friends to collect roadside apples and brew together, turning isolation into community.

When word spread about the museum's broken apple crusher, Bott jumped at the chance to restore something with real history. Now that history is alive again, ready to produce cider for generations to come.