ONE of Okehampton's most important heritage features has moved onto the next stage of its renovations, after the wheel of the mill house has been stripped and painted with bright red undercoat.

The wheel is due to receive its final top coat of paint in the next week.

The nineteenth century run-down waterwheel is part of the mill which has been converted into flats.

The wheel is now owned by Beryl Holley and her husband Bob Rush.

Beryl purchased the water wheel in 1987 when she bought the old mill house ground floor flat.

She said: 'It means a lot to me to have the wheel done up. It was in a sad state when I moved in and it takes a lot of effort to look after it.

'It's been a bit of a struggle over the years but people are so pleased that it's kept going and I feel it is my duty to maintain it.

'It's an important feature of Okehampton and it means a lot that people are so appreciative.

'I even had little notes left through my front door, saying how lovely the wheel is.

'Bob and I have been working hard maintaining it and he deals with all the technical side of things, which is a great help.'

The water wheel was made in 1888 at Court House Works in Hatherleigh by Luxtons. It is the last remaining of the four water-driven wheels once used in the town.

During late 1989 to early 1991, the stone walls, sluice gates and wheel itself were in need of drastic repair.

After taking advice from Finch Foundry Waterwheel Museum at Sticklepath, Beryl had the repairs carried out.

The wheel has attracted many people visiting Okehampton.

Okehampton Photo Centre has also used many pictures of the mill, which have been popular with passing tourists.

Beryl said: 'Coaches actually stop outside the mill and people take photos. I'm sure there must be some of me bending over working, oblivious to it all.'

And students from Okehampton College have also visited, to study the wheel's technology in connection with their interest in fostering alternative energy sources at the school.

The mill was mentioned in the Domesday Book nearly 1,000 years ago, when the lords of the manor and the tenants of the land around had their grain ground at the mill.

By the middle of the 17th century, there were two sets of mills in Okehampton, one used for wheat and one used for rye.

In the nineteenth century, further changes were made when William Wood, who became the mayor of the town in 1883 and owned a mill at Combe Valley, set up a fertiliser business with a bone crushing plant.

He also set up a condenser to produce sulphuric acid, which was pumped into a pipe across Simmons Park to the railway station, later closed down after the pipe broke.

In the near future, Beryl and Bob hope to get the waterwheel generating electricity by using water power at the mill.

Bob said: 'We are hoping to repeat what was done in the 70s when a man called Mr Harrison managed to put a generator inside the mill.

'It worked off the waterwheel internally and we want to eventually do something similar.'

Beryl and Bob would like to hear from anyone who has information about the wheel, mill and its history and welcome photos, particularly of the inside of the wheel, which they will copy and return.

For more information phone Beryl or Bob on 01837 52874.