Historic Middleton lifestyle property could be yours
Once owned by artist David Bromley, The Mill at Middleton is a creative hub and historic home that boasts a swimming pool, boutique accommodation, creative studios and more.
The Mill at Middleton was built circa 1850 as a flour mill to service grain from farms along the River Murray.
Over the many decades since, The Mill has evolved into a space where creative talents have flourished.
It first fell into residential hands in the 1970s when South Australian designer and artisan Christopher Norris acquired it. It was then owned by renowned artist David Bromley.
In 2006, winemaker and distiller Rose Kentish and her artist husband Sam Harrison moved into the building with their four children.
The couple previously lived in McLaren Vale, where they owned Ulithorne Wines, but holidayed on the south coast and desired a more permanent sea change.
“We would walk past The Mill on our way to the general store. It’s a very imposing building from the outside, very European-looking and quite majestic,” Rose says.
“It’s four stories and on two acres of land in the centre of the town. It looks very private and intriguing, and we just thought, ‘gosh, that would make an incredible home’.”
Rose says The Mill has evolved into a place that fosters creativity, allowing her to experiment and extend her love of winemaking to distilling and perfumery.
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Today, Rose operates several businesses including Rose Kentish Wines, With Grace Whisky, Full Circle Spirits and natural perfume company Perfumer III.
“It’s quite an unconventional home … but we’ve done a lot to create a really strong sense of family and home, and also make it a meeting place – a gathering place.
“It’s morphed and evolved.”
The Mill has eight bedrooms, eight bathrooms and three kitchens across four stories. There is 1200 square metres of living space on about 1.5 hectares of land.
Over the decades, Rose and Sam have continued to make improvements to “keep it fresh”. In 2017 they renovated the original 1850 stables to create their accommodation offering, Pago Suites.
“The stables had dirt floors and no ceiling. It was crumbling down, and we felt as custodians that we had a responsibility to save it,” Rose says.
“We wanted to do something dynamic and beautiful with it, so we decided to lean into the beauty of the old stables and create something special that would allow the general public into The Mill … but in a different way.”
Pago, meaning “village” in Portuguese, is comprised of four suites nestled around a swimming pool, spa and sauna, and surrounded by an acre of private garden.
“It’s industrial, commercial and also residential, so it has this multidisciplinary feel about it,” Rose says.
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“Both Sam and I felt, independently, when we moved in that we could be creative here.
“It’s a space where things can be made and created. There are so many spaces … it’s quite lofty and majestic.
“It just felt like a place that could be filled out with family and friends and with our creative careers.”
Rose and Sam transformed a section of The Mill into a wine bar and tasting room, with a restaurant licence, where Rose would share her expertise. They also hosted weddings on the grounds.
A large space is dedicated to displaying Sam’s art, complete with gallery lighting, and while they no longer cater to weddings or walk-in customers, Rose still hosts tastings by appointment.
Among the property’s many creative spaces are a ceramics studio, a painting studio, a yoga studio and a perfumery.
“It’s been a bit of a wonderland for our kids to grow up there and have friends come and play and stay,” Rose says.
“But it’s also a wonderland to be in because of the light that comes in through the windows.
“There’s something about it that just feels very grounded and beautiful. We’ve furnished it in a way that feels calm and eclectic.”
Rose and Sam are now looking to downsize, and are ready for The Mill to enter its next chapter, whether that be residential, commercial or otherwise.
“I’m going to really miss the way it makes me feel,” Rose says.
“It is really like entering another place, there’s a real sense that it has its own personality.
“It’s been a magical place to live, we just feel it’s time to pass the baton on.”
The sale of 29 Mill Terrace, Middleton, is being handled by Kim Shorland of Harcourts Adelaide Hills.
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