Bembridge Windmill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bembridge Windmill |
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Bembridge Windmill
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| Origin | |
| Mill name | Knowle Mill |
| Grid reference | SZ 6398 8747 |
| Coordinates | 50°41′00″N 1°05′45″W / 50.68341°N 1.09578°W |
| Operator(s) | National Trust |
| Year built | c1700 |
| Information | |
| Purpose | Corn mill |
| Type | Tower mill |
| Storeys | Four storeys |
| No. of sails | Four sails |
| Type of sails | Common sails |
| Winding | Hand winded by chain and wheel |
| No. of pairs of millstones | Two pairs |
| Other information | The only remaining windmill on the Isle of Wight |
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Listed Building – Grade I
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| Designated | 16 April 1953 |
| Reference no. | 1034383 |
Bembridge Windmill, also known as Knowle Mill, is a very old and important windmill. It is located in Bembridge, on the Isle of Wight in England. This special building is a tower mill and is protected as a Grade I listed site. It is the only windmill left on the Isle of Wight.
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History of Bembridge Windmill
The Bembridge Windmill was built around the year 1700. A famous artist named J. M. W. Turner even painted it in 1795! This windmill used wind power to grind grain until 1913. After 1897, it was mainly used to grind food for animals.
Restoring the Windmill
The windmill was repaired and made new in 1935. It was restored again in 1959, with money raised by people who cared about it. In 1962, the National Trust took over the windmill. They have worked to fix it up, and now people can visit it. New sails were put on the windmill in March 2021.
What Bembridge Windmill Looks Like
Bembridge Windmill is a tall building with four floors. It is a type of windmill called a tower mill. The top part, called the cap, looks like the front of a boat. This cap can be turned by hand using a chain and a wheel. This helps the sails face the wind.
How the Windmill Works
The windmill has four large sails. These are called "common sails." Inside, there are two pairs of millstones. These stones grind the grain from underneath, which is called "underdrift."
Visiting Bembridge Windmill
Bembridge Windmill is open for people to visit for most of the year. You can usually go there between March and November. It is open every day from 10:30 in the morning until 5:00 in the afternoon. For more details, you can check the National Trust website.
