Mills on the Air 2026

Radio from a historic Welsh watermill

C&DARS took part in the 2026 Mills on the Air event from the historic Abbey Mill in Tintern.

Mills on the Air is an annual amateur radio event organised in support of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings and coordinated by the Nunsfield House Amateur Radio Group .

It brings amateur radio operators together at historic windmills and watermills across the country, helping to promote both the hobby and the conservation of Britain’s milling heritage. More information is available from the Mills on the Air website .

About Abbey Mill

Abbey Mill stands in the Angidy Valley, close to Tintern Abbey, and is home to the only surviving waterwheel from the 22 waterwheels that once powered local industry along the Angidy River.

During the nineteenth century, water power in the valley supported ironworking, brass production and wire drawing, while Abbey Mill itself later became home to a wood turnery and sawmill.

The mill’s waterwheel dates from the 1870s and originally powered machinery inside the building until electric power replaced it in 1951. Following restoration, the wheel returned to operation in 2009 and remains an important reminder of Tintern’s industrial heritage.