Open for the 2026 season — every Sunday, 11am to 4pm. Guided tours at 11.30am, 1.30pm and 3pm. Plan your visit →

Support Us

Help save the mill

The House Mill is a treasured survivor of Britain's industrial heritage — and she needs our help. Here's how you can be part of saving her.

The House Mill under scaffolding during restoration work, with a "Save the World's Largest Tidal Mill" banner.
Photo: N Chadwick / Geograph — CC BY-SA 2.0

The House Mill may have survived the Blitz, but the sturdy brick face hides a building made of wood — sitting astride the tidal River Lea, exposed to every kind of weather. The heritage machinery and four great water wheels have stood silent since 1940, and the building is now on the Heritage at Risk Register.

We need your help to stop this plucky survivor from declining further. Your support will help repair the mill, improve what we can offer visitors and schools, and work towards the day the wheels turn again.

The simplest way to help is to make a donation through our JustGiving page.

If you’re a UK taxpayer, Gift Aid lets us reclaim the tax you’ve already paid — adding 25% to your gift at no extra cost to you.

To talk about a larger gift, or about sponsoring part of the restoration, please call us on 020 8980 4626. (Please confirm the current contact name with the Trust.)

Volunteer

The House Mill is kept open by a small, dedicated group of volunteers — and there’s a place for whatever time and skills you can offer. We provide training where it’s needed, and you’ll be part of a warm and welcoming team. We’re always glad to hear from people interested in:

  • Guiding tours
  • Helping in the café (food service and barista)
  • Gardening
  • Gallery invigilation
  • Events and administration
  • Archiving and research
  • Caretaking and maintenance
  • Leafleting and helping to spread the word

If you’d like to get involved, please get in touch.

Visit the shop

Our small shop stocks nicely designed House Mill gifts for all budgets — from mugs and tea towels to postcards and calendars — along with books on the history of the mill and the area by local historian Brian Strong. (Please ask about current stock and prices.)