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A mill is a structure or building for manufacturing goods, historically used for grinding cereal grains into flour. Early mills utilized waterwheels, with geared mills becoming prominent in the Roman Empire and medieval Europe. Windmills also served as early power sources.123

The Industrial Revolution introduced new construction methods for mills, incorporating iron and glass. The Ditherington flour mill (1796-97) is an early example of an iron-frame building. Modern mills use steel cylinders for grinding grain, a process that begins with grooved cylinders and concludes with smooth ones to achieve fine flour.41

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