Barrie Lill was born in north Wales but spent the early part of his life in England, attending Handsworth Grammar School, Leamington College, and Coventry University. Following a career in the Army, engineering, and latterly financial services, upon retirement he completed a BA degree in History with Archaeology at Bangor University. He later became aware of a former flint mill at Llandegai in north Wales, which he set about excavating, and the publication of his book ‘Richard Pennant, Samuel Worthington, and the Mill at Penlan’ marks the culmination of this work.