Upper Mill, Eastry

Upper Mill, Eastry
The converted mill
Origin
Grid reference	TR 304 545
Coordinates	51°14′36″N1°17′57″E / 51.2432°N 1.2992°E / 51.2432; 1.2992
Year built	1740s
Information
Purpose	Corn mill
Type	Smock mill
Storeys	Three-storey smock
Base storeys	Single-storey base
Smock sides	Eight-sided
No. of sails	Four
Type of sails	Patent sails
Windshaft	Cast iron
Winding	Fantail
Fantail blades	Six blades
Auxiliary power	Gas engine 1913-1949 Electric motor 1949 - 1959
No. of pairs of millstones	Four pairs

Upper Mill is a Grade II listed ^[1] house converted smock mill in Eastry, Kent, England. It was built in the mid eighteenth century.

History

Upper Mill was built in the mid eighteenth century. A mill was marked on Symonson's map of 1596, Robert Morden's map of 1695 and Emanuel Bowen's map of 1736. Two mills were marked on Andrews, Drury and Herbert's map of 1769. Four mills were marked on the 1819-43 Ordnance Survey map.

Of the four mills the fate of one is unknown. One was burnt down and the third, the Lower Mill, which was similar in appearance to the surviving mill except that it lacked a brick base, was demolished in 1926. Lower Mill bore the date 1743 inside. ^[2]

The earliest confirmed date for Upper Mill is a sale document of 1770, although the mill is believed to be older. The mill was worked by wind until 1913, when the sails and fantail were removed. ^[2] It was worked by a suction gas engine until 1949 and then by electric motor until 1959, when the business was transferred to Sandwich. ^[3]

Description

For a description of the machinery, see Mill machinery.

Upper Mill is a three-storey black smock mill on a single-storey brick base. It had four Patent sails carried on a cast-iron windshaft. The mill was winded by a fantail. The mill drove four pairs of millstones. ^[2] The mill was stripped of machinery after milling ceased, with only the windshaft and wooden brake wheel remaining. ^[3]

Millers

• Thomas Clark 1826 - 1845
• W Clark 1913
• Harold H Clark - 1949
• Arthur Clark 1949 - 1959

References for above:- ^{[2] [3] [4]}

References

1. Historic England. "EASTRY MILL, MILL LANE (south side), EASTRY, DOVER, KENT (1070187)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 15 April 2008.
2. Coles Finch, William (1933). Watermills and Windmills. London: C W Daniel Company. p. 198.
3. West, Jenny (1973). The Windmills of Kent. London: Charles Skilton Ltd. pp. 39–41. ISBN   0284-98534-1.
4. "Directory of Kent Mill People". The Mills Archive Trust. Archived from the original on 16 April 2009. Retrieved 15 April 2008.

External links

• Windmill World page on the mill.