We start at the river itself, where the driving force of the mill began. The main wheel was never replaced, and was the original one installed on site, producing 17 horsepower. The fulling stock, wheel and gears occupy the remains of the north-eastern end of the mill. The 6.1m diameter back-shot water wheel has the words ‘Samuel Owens Newtown Foundry 1858’ and had 40 wooden buckets and an iron axle. The wheel is attached to a pair of large primary gears, a shaft running from these, through the factory wall to drive the upper gear system, operating the entire process. Despite seeming somewhat primitive from the outside, these were significant pieces of kit.