The Flint Mill was originally built around 1770 by succesful local merchant, Robert Bill to cash in on the lucrative flint grinding trade supplying the fast-growing Potteries in nearby Stoke-on-Trent and in particular, the famous Josiah Wedgwood's factory in Burslem. 

 

He then put the power of the water to even more use by building a large flour mill next door. This later became the birthplace of Richard "Stoney" Smith, the inventor of Hovis flour, and it is now the Mill Hotel and Restaurant.

 

As steam-powered mills at the pottery factories took over from watermills, The Flint Mill became a processing plant for the flour mill and then in the 20th C was converted into a lorry repair workshop for the Bedford lorries which ran out of the Mill Farm complex.

 

The building was eventually abandoned in the 1960's and became forgotten and derelict. Fortunately it was saved from collapse by Alan and Dora Appleby and put to yet another use as their home.