Billingford Windmill | |
---|---|
![]() Billingford Mill | |
![]() | |
Origin | |
Mill name | Billingford Mill |
Grid reference | TM 167 786 |
Coordinates | 52°21′44″N1°10′51″E / 52.3622°N 1.1808°E Coordinates: 52°21′44″N1°10′51″E / 52.3622°N 1.1808°E |
Operator(s) | Norfolk Windmills Trust |
Year built | 1859 |
Information | |
Purpose | Corn mill |
Type | Tower mill |
Storeys | Five storeys |
No. of sails | Four sails |
Type of sails | Double Patent sails |
Windshaft | cast iron |
Winding | Fantail |
Fantail blades | Six blades |
Auxiliary power | Steam engine, later replaced by an oil engine |
No. of pairs of millstones | Two pairs, a third pair driven by engine |
Size of millstones | Engine driven stones 3 feet (910 mm) diameter |
Other information | Last windmill to work by wind commercially in Norfolk |
Billingford Windmill is a grade II* listed [1] brick tower mill at Billingford near Diss, Norfolk, England which has been preserved and restored to working order. As of June 2009, the mill is under repair, with new sails being made.
A windmill was first marked on William Faden's map of Norfolk published in 1797. This was a post mill which drove two pairs of millstones. The mill was blown down on 22 September 1859. [2]
A new tower mill was built for William Chaplyn to replace the post mill. It cost £1,300 and was completed by March 1860. In 1872 the miller, Henry Pike, was sued for supplying meal unfit for consumption. He admitted having added some starch fibre to the meal. Judgement was given in his favour, but with 30s deducted and no order for costs being granted. [2]
William Chaplyn died in 1881 and the mill was put up for sale by auction on 21 June 1881 at the King's Head Hotel, Diss but it remained unsold and was later offered to let. Provision had been made by this date for the mill to be driven by a steam engine. The mill was worked by a succession of millers through the years. An oil engine had been installed as auxiliary power by 1916. [2]
In 1924, the mill was bought by George Daines, who worked it, and took on a partner in 1929. In 1933, his son Arthur joined the firm and worked the mill until called up to the Royal Navy during the Second World War. Upon his return in 1945, over £300 had to be spent repairing the mill to return it to working order. The mill was reduced to two sails. Arthur Daines worked the mill by wind until 1956 - the last windmill to work commercially by wind in Norfolk. Milling continued by engine power until 1959 when an outbreak of fowl pest killed off the remaining trade. [2]
The mill was purchased by Victor Valiant who intended that it should be preserved. In February 1962, Messrs Thompson's, the Alford millwrights commenced restoration work. [2] An appeal was launched in March 1962 by the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings launched an appeal for £1,450. Grants of £1,000 each were given by the Historic Buildings Council and Norfolk County Council. The restoration cost £3,939 [3] The cap, which had been tarred, was painted white. [2] The outbuildings around the mill were demolished. [4] On 24 September 1965, Mr Valiant gave the mill to the Norfolk Windmills Trust. [2]
On the night of 2–3 January 1976, the fantail was destroyed in a gale. A replacement was made and fitted in March 1976 by Messrs Barrett and Lawn, millwrights. On 14 July 1977, a 52 feet (15.85 m) long fabricated steel stock was fitted by Lennard and Lawn, replacing a Columbian pine stock which had been fitted when the mill was restored in 1962. In 1998, Norfolk Windmills Trust had the mill put back into full working order. [4] In 2002 Linda Joslin became the first woman miller at Billingford and together with a team of volunteers began milling English Organic wheat. The first "Billingford Loaf" for 50 years was produced that year and became very popular around Norfolk with the stones grinding the wheat when ever the wind blew strongly enough. Linda was made to leave the mill after a long and very public dispute having been asked to fully maintain the mill although she was not the owner. The mill was not used for a few years and has consequently deteriorated. On 11 June 2009, the sails were removed as they had been discovered to be rotten and in need of replacement. The new sails are being made by Thompsons, the Alford millwrights. [5] The new sails were installed in September 2020.
Billingford Windmill is a five-storey tower mill with a boat-shaped cap winded by a fantail. The tower is 36 feet (10.97 m) high to curb level. It has four double Patent sails carried on a cast-iron windshaft . The brake wheel carries a tablet inscribed "W SKINNER 1860". The upright shaft is of cast iron, and is 4 1⁄2 inches (114 millimetres) diameter. The great spur wheel is only 5 feet 4 1⁄2 inches (1.64 metres) diameter. The two pairs of millstones are driven overdrift. A third pair is housed on a hurst frame on the ground floor of the mill and can be driven by engine. [2]
Reference for above:- [2]
Billingford mill is open to the public on a number of Sundays and Bank Holidays or by arrangement with Norfolk Windmills Trust. [6]
James Henry Govier (1910–1974), a talented amateur artist who lived at nearby Hoxne produced a number of paintings of this windmill. [4]
Heckington Windmill is the only eight-sailed tower windmill still standing in the United Kingdom with its sails intact.
Upminster Windmill is a Grade II* listed smock mill located in Upminster in the London Borough of Havering, England. It was formerly known as Abraham's Mill and was in Essex when built. It has been restored and is a museum open to the public at selected times.
King's Mill or Vincent's Mill, Shipley, West Sussex, England, is a smock mill built in 1879 which has been restored and was open to the public until its closure on 19 July 2009.
Denver Windmill is a Grade II* listed tower mill at Denver, Norfolk, England.
Great Bircham Windmill is a Grade II listed tower mill in Great Bircham, Norfolk, England.
Burnham Overy Staithe Windmill is a Grade II* listed building tower mill at Burnham Overy Staithe, Norfolk, England which has been converted to holiday accommodation.
Caston Tower Windmill is a grade II* listed tower mill at Caston, Norfolk, England which is under restoration. The mill is also a scheduled monument.
Cley Windmill is a grade II* listed tower mill at Cley next the Sea, Norfolk, England which has been converted to residential accommodation.
Stanford Windmill is a Grade II listed tower mill in Stanford, Kent, England that was built in 1857. It stands on Kennett Lane in Stanford.
Ovenden's Mill or Mockett's Mill is a grade II* listed tower mill at Polegate, East Sussex, England which has been restored and is open to the public.
Terling Windmill is a grade II listed Smock mill at Terling, Essex, England, which has been converted to residential use.
Thelnetham Windmill, also known as Button's Mill is a Grade II* listed tower mill constructed of brick. The windmill is located at Thelnetham, Suffolk, England. It was built in the early nineteenth century to grind wheat into flour. Thelnetham windmill worked by wind power until 1924, latterly on two sails, after which it became derelict.
Gazeley Mill is a tower mill at Gazeley, Suffolk, England which has been converted to residential accommodation.
Pakenham Mill is a Grade II* listed tower mill at Pakenham, Suffolk, England which has been restored and is maintained in working order.
Buttrum's Mill or Trott's Mill is a Grade II listed tower mill at Woodbridge, Suffolk, England which has been restored to working order.
Aslacton Mill is a Grade II listed tower mill at Aslacton, Norfolk, England which is derelict.
Union Mills or Roy's Mills are a Grade II listed combined tower mill and watermill at Burnham Overy, Norfolk, England which has been converted to residential accommodation.
Mill Lane Mill is a Grade II listed tower mill at Carbrooke, Norfolk, England which has been conserved with some machinery remaining.
Jay's Mill, Button's Mill or Victoria Road Mill is a tower mill at Diss, Norfolk, England which has been truncated and converted to residential accommodation.
Garboldisham Mill is a Grade II* listed post mill at Garboldisham, Norfolk, that has been restored.
The illustrated History of Hoxne. 2006. Stephen Govier.