Neil Hopkins

Neil has been making paper for 12 years . He did biology at college, ended up working as a chemist for Cadbury's at Keynsham then after a period of travel moved to Exmoor (from Bristol) in the early 90's where he did everything from making charcoal to video production from hot air balloons, before finding a niche with colleague and friend Jim Patterson making beautiful handmade artist's paper at Pitt Mill, Roadwater.

About Two Rivers Paper

Two Rivers was formed in 1976 and has been run and located at Pitt Mill, Somerset, UK since 1990. It's one of a handful of commercial handmills still operating in Europe.

The owner/manager is Jim Patterson, a fourth generation paper maker who has spent his entire working life in the paper industry, in larger mills both in England and abroad, including Wansborough Paper Company in Watchet.

The mill is over 400 years old and still retains much of the ancient wooden milling machinery. It's been restored over the last 15 years to a working water-powered traditional paper mill, using a 100 year old metal wheel from Wales and an 1841 Hollander Rag-Breaker.

The wheel itself is a 10 ft overshot wheel weighing two and a half tons and standing eleven foot high. In combination with the rag breaker, Two Rivers will be the only place in the UK where water power is used to make paper from old rags.

The mill is usually open for visitors during normal working hours but please call us at the mill on 01984 641028 if you are making a special trip to see us.

http://www.tworiverspaper.co.uk