Rotary querns and millstones in South-West England

Anderson, T.J., Alonso, N. (eds), Tilting at Mills: The Archaeology and Geology of Mills and Milling. Revista d’Arqueologia de Ponent. Número Extra 4, 2019. ISBN: 9788491440291 The south-west of England comprises some of the most varied geology in the British Isles. This has not only given rise to a diverse landscape but has also provided the region with various sources of stone suitable for the production of milling stones. Analysis of the different types of stone that were used for the manufacture of rotary querns and millstones in the south-west of England shows two main trends. Firstly, a preference, whether by necessity or desirability, for locally sourced stones. Secondly, the introduction of and, despite their higher cost, the increased importation of French millstones from the medieval period onwards. This is coupled with an increasing use of stones of Millstone Grit from northern England in the 18th and 19th centuries. It was the importation of these millstones that was to lead ultimately to the demise of the local millstone making industries.