Blackdown Mill, Punnetts Town facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Punnetts Town Windmill |
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The mill in 2006
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| Origin | |
| Mill name | Punnett's Town Mill Cherry Clack Mill |
| Mill location | TQ 627 209 |
| Coordinates | 50°57′54″N 0°18′58″E / 50.965°N 0.316°E |
| Operator(s) | Private |
| Year built | 1859 |
| Information | |
| Purpose | Corn mill |
| Type | Smock mill |
| Storeys | Three-storey smock |
| Base storeys | Single-storey base |
| Smock sides | Eight sides |
| No. of sails | Four Sails (Two Missing) |
| Type of sails | Common sails |
| Windshaft | Cast iron |
| Winding | Fantail |
| Fantail blades | Six blades |
| Auxiliary power | Engine |
| No. of pairs of millstones | Two pairs, a third pair driven by engine |
Punnetts Town Windmill, also known as Blackdown Mill or Cherry Clack Mill, is a special old windmill located in Punnetts Town, East Sussex, England. It's a "smock mill," which means it has a wooden tower that looks a bit like an old-fashioned shirt. This mill is a "grade II listed building," meaning it's an important historical structure that has been carefully restored.
Contents
The Mill's Journey Through Time
From Kent to Sussex
This windmill wasn't always in Punnetts Town! It was first built in 1859 in a place called Three Chimneys in Cranbrook, Kent. It was moved to Punnetts Town to replace an older mill that had burned down. The company that moved it was Neve's, who were skilled mill builders from Heathfield.
The mill was called Cherry Clack Mill in 1851. It worked by wind power until the 1920s. Then, a part called the "curb" broke, stopping the mill from turning to face the wind. In 1933, the cap (top part) and sails were removed.
Bringing the Mill Back to Life
In 1946, a man named Archie Dallaway decided to restore the mill. He wanted it to work again. A new cap was built, but it looked a bit different from the original. A new fantail (a small windmill that turns the main mill into the wind) was added.
The main shaft, called a "windshaft," came from another mill that was taken down. In 1972, four new sails were made and put on the mill. Two pairs of millstones were installed to grind grain. A third pair of stones was added later.
Recent Challenges
In 2016, strong winds caused some damage to the mill. A new mast, which supports parts of the mill, snapped. This was a setback for the restoration efforts.
How the Mill Works
Mill Structure
Blackdown Mill is a three-storey smock mill. It sits on a single-storey brick base. When it was first built, it had a "Kentish-style cap" and four "patent sails." These sails could adjust automatically to the wind.
Inside, the mill used to drive two pairs of millstones from above. A third pair of stones could also be powered by an engine. The mill could even power a saw.
Modern Features
Today, the restored mill has a "beehive cap" covered in aluminum. The sails are now "common sails," which are simpler than patent sails. Each sail is about 26 feet 6 inches (8.08 meters) long and 5 feet 3 inches (1.60 meters) wide.
A fantail, about 6 feet (1.8 meters) across, helps turn the cap into the wind. The strong cast-iron windshaft holds a large 8-foot 4-inch (2.54 meters) oak "brake wheel." This wheel turns a cast-iron "wallower" on a vertical shaft. A "great spur wheel" helps transfer power to the three pairs of millstones, which grind grain from above.
Recent photos show that the mill currently has only two sails and is missing its fantail.
Millers of Punnetts Town Windmill
These are some of the people who operated the mill over the years:
- Samuel Dallaway 1859 - 1876
- Dallaway Brothers (Charles, Thomas and John) 1876 - c.1910
- Demas Dallaway 1910 - 1933
- Archie Dallaway 1946 -
