History
As far as we can tell, the buildings forming Waterwynch Mill were built around 1880, although the barn forming West Cottage could have been earlier, around 1820. The earliest map that we have found showing the entire range of barns is 1887. The buildings, initially known as Lower Castle Ely, were built for agricultural purposes, including a waterwheel fed by a stone built mill race. The largest barn was converted into the main house in 2004/2005 with other barns converted into a spa retreat that ran from approximately 2010 to 2015. The current owners, Sam and Carol Lander purchased Waterwynch in April 2021 and subsequently set about further renovations and alterations including obtaining planning permissions to convert parts of the West and East barns into holiday cottages.
Location
Waterwynch Mill provides the perfect getaway. Easy to reach at just 500 yards off the A477 yet peacefully secluded. Use the unmade private drive to slow down to a more restful pace. Waterwynch Mill is set in 2 acres of grounds and surrounded by pastures and woodland. Public footpaths pass nearby, providing countryside walks and access to the Wales Coastal Path. We have wildlife in abundance.
Projects
We completed West Cottage in 2022 with holiday lettings commencing in October 2022. We also carried out alterations to the main house. In 2023, apart from taking a break from builders, we focused on landscaping and gardening. Notable activities included the removal of an existing rotten sundeck, tree planting in our field and the construction of a two span oak footbridge to link our orchard to our field. Also at the end of 2023 we installed a 22kW EV charger for our guests and our own newly acquired electric van! 2024 began with the addition of a toilet and changing room in the swimming pool room as well as a new soundproof partition to separate the pool room from the future East Cottage. We will continue to prepare for the East Cottage development by stripping out the existing barns and building new patios and external areas. We also hope to add solar panels and battery storage to power our investments in ground and air source heat pumps, with a long term goal of becoming self sufficient. If everything goes to plan, East Cottage will become our main focus in late 2024/2025, but there are plenty of projects to keep us going in the meantime.
Beaches
Waterwynch Mill is only two miles from the coast on the border between Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire thereby providing easy access to the beautiful beaches of both counties.
Eating Out
There are numerous restaurants, pubs and cafes to suit all budgets in the surrounding towns, resorts and villages, starting from under two miles from Waterwynch Mill.
Attractions
Castles, beaches and gardens, are all within easy reach. Countryside walks start from the moment you step outside and the Wales Coastal Path is only 2 miles away.