EUROPEAN funding has helped keep Dunster Castle's working watermill up and running.

On Monday, December 16, visitors to the castle had the rare chance to see a new set of millstones being lifted into the mill, moved into position and operating for the first time.

In its past, Dunster Working Watermill operated with three sets of millstones, but since being restored into working order in 1980, the National Trust mill has only operated with two sets.

The new pair of millstones will weigh up to a tonne each.

They have been made from previously recovered French Burr, a freshwater quartz considered to be the best material to mill with, despite no longer being in production.

Thanks to a substantial grant from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and money raised from Dunster Castle’s raffle, the watermill will now be able to once again have three fully working sets of millstones.

As a fully operational mill Dunster Working Watermill will have the ability to keep the operation running when carrying out essential repairs and maintenance to other areas.

Stephen Hayes, mill operations and projects manager, said: "It is so important to keep the mill producing flour as it’s something our visitors love to see as well as maintaining our current production levels of 10 tonnes of flour each year.

"Thanks to LEADER, we will be able to mill new products such as rye to complement our existing wholemeal wheat and spelt flours by milling dedicated grains on each set of millstones."

The LEADER scheme is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.