For hundreds of years the mill was where you brought your grain to have it ground into flour. The Lancaster Roller Mill is one with a long history in the Northern Neck.

The Lancaster Roller Mill, was originally built "on John Robinson's land grant of 1657, sold to Edward King, then John Carter, since 1666. The "Great Mill" of John's son, Robert, fell to Robert's son, Charles, who petitioned the court authority in 1783, to rebuild.

The 30'X 40' 3.5 story frame structure with brick foundation/basement with dirt floor operated chiefly from 1843-1872 as a stone ground mill. Since 1872, the original set of French buhrs used in the original 1666 mill, has still ground corn meal; but, the wheat grinding has been allocated to the roller process.

As with most mid-19th century mills, the mill was the center piece of the community, not only grinding grain for farmers miles around; but, serving as a source of livestock feed, stock medicine, buying and trading other farm and household commodities, and local news.