Aslacton Windmill

Aslacton Windmill
The derelict mill in 2007
Origin
Mill name	Aslacton Mill
Mill location	TM 1575 9037
Coordinates	52°28′07″N1°10′29″E / 52.46861°N 1.17472°E / 52.46861; 1.17472 Coordinates: 52°28′07″N1°10′29″E / 52.46861°N 1.17472°E / 52.46861; 1.17472
Operator(s)	Private
Year built	1834
Information
Purpose	Corn mill
Type	Tower mill
Storeys	Four storeys
No. of sails	Four sails
Type of sails	Double Patent sails
Winding	Fantail
Fantail blades	Six blades
Auxiliary power	Steam engine, later replaced by an oil engine
No. of pairs of millstones	Two pairs

Aslacton Mill is a Grade II listed ^[1] tower mill at Aslacton, Norfolk, England which is derelict.

History

Aslacton Mill was probably built in 1834, ^[2] although there was a mill in Aslacton as early as 1751. ^[3] Benjamin Gibson is the first recorded miller and the mill was owned by Barnabas Burroughes from 1872 until his death on 18 December 1899. The mill passed to his widow and after her death on 4 August 1903, ^[2] the mill was offered for sale by auction at the Railway Inn, Tivetshall on 25 August 1903. The top bid of £350 was below the reserve price, so the mill remained unsold. ^[3] The mill was sold in October 1903 to Samuel Fickling. He died in March 1913, leaving the mill to his widow. On her death in May 1915 the mill passed to their son Arthur Robinson Fickling, who sold it to Selina Herring in October 1915 for £400. The mill was sold to John Colchester in 1929. The sails were removed c1930 and the mill worked by steam engine. Colchester worked the mill by steam engine, ^[2] and then an oil engine, ^[3] until 1938. ^[2] The derelict tower still stands, containing some machinery. ^[1]

Description

For an explanation of the various pieces of machinery, see Mill machinery.

Aslacton mill is a four storey tower mill which had a boat shaped cap winded by a six bladed fantail. It had four double Patent sails and drove two pairs of millstones. Unusually, these were driven overdrift by wind and underdrift by engine. The tower is about 33 feet (10.06 m) from base to curb level. The upright shaft and great spur wheel for the engine drive remain in situ. ^[3]

Millers

• Benjamin Gibson 1841-68
• Barnabas Borroughes 1872-98
• Jane Burroughes 1900
• George Leonard Smith 1900-01
• Robert William Drane 1904-08
• William Samuel Herring 1912
• Selina Herring 1915-16
• Charles William Herring 1922-28
• John Corben Colchester 1929-38
  • Samuel McMeakin 1937

Reference for above:- ^{[2] [3]}

References

1. Historic England. "WINDMILL IMMEDIATELY NORTH OF MILL FARMHOUSE, MILL LANE , ASLACTON, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK (1049679)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 23 June 2009.
2. "Aslacton towermill". Norfolk Mills. Retrieved 23 June 2009.
3. Apling, Harry (1984). Norfolk Corn Windmills, Volume 1. Norwich: The Norfolk Windmills Trust. pp. 214–16. ISBN   0-9509793-0-9.

External links

• Windmill World webpage on Aslacton Mill.