This series is comprised of the twelve notebooks of E. M. Gardner. The first notebook contains Gardner's comprehensive transcriptions of the inventories of the mill properties of four millers ; two of which date back to the seventeenth century while the other two date back to the eighteenth century. The succeeding notebooks contain Gardner's independent observations and reflections on a wealth of information she acquired over the course of a number of years regarding watermills throughout both England and Wales.
The fifth notebook contains Gardner's handwritten notes on Tithe maps of Wales and Tide Mills in such places as Caenarvon, Beaumaris, Abergavenny and Gower in Wales. In addition, the notebook also records details of the wills of various millers preserved at the Prerogative Court of Canterbury. Much of Gardner's information was derived from articles in the academic journal of the Institute of Historical Research. .
The fourth notebook contains Gardner's notes on the information that she discovered herself concerning the mills situated within the county of Worcestershire and Salop through her own research as well as providing a comprehensive commentary on the research activities of the historical and archaeological associations of the county into the history of milling in Worcestershire.
