Blackshore Mill, Reydon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Blackshore Mill, Reydon |
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The mill in 2006
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| Origin | |
| Mill location | TM 491 759 |
| Coordinates | 52°19′28″N 1°39′24″E / 52.32444°N 1.65667°E |
| Operator(s) | Private |
| Year built | c1890 |
| Information | |
| Purpose | Windpump |
| Type | Tower mill |
| Storeys | Three storeys |
| No. of sails | Four Sails |
| Type of sails | Patent sails |
| Windshaft | Cast iron |
| Winding | Fantail |
| Type of pump | Three throw plunger pump |
Blackshore Mill is a special kind of old building called a tower mill. It's located in Reydon, Suffolk, England. This mill is so important that it's protected as a Grade II listed site, meaning it's been carefully saved and looked after.
What is Blackshore Mill?
Blackshore Mill is a type of windmill known as a tower mill. Unlike some windmills made of wood, a tower mill has a strong, round stone or brick tower. This makes it very sturdy.
This particular mill was built to be a windpump. This means its main job was to use the power of the wind to pump water, often for draining land or moving water for farming.
How it Works: The Parts of a Windmill
Windmills like Blackshore Mill have several key parts that help them use wind power:
- Sails: These are the big arms that catch the wind. Blackshore Mill had four Patent sails. Patent sails were a clever invention that allowed millers to adjust the sails from inside the mill, even while they were turning!
- Windshaft: This is a strong pole, often made of Cast iron, that the sails are attached to. When the sails turn, the windshaft turns too.
- Fantail: This is a small windmill at the back of the cap. Its job is to automatically turn the whole cap of the mill so that the main sails always face the wind. This way, the mill can always catch the most wind possible.
- Cap: This is the top part of the mill that holds the sails and windshaft. It can turn around to face the wind. Blackshore Mill had a cap shaped like a boat.
- Tower: The main body of the mill. Blackshore Mill's tower is about 26 feet (8 meters) tall and has three floors inside.
History of Blackshore Mill
Blackshore Mill was built around 1890. A skilled builder named Robert Martin from Beccles was chosen to construct it. He was a millwright, which is someone who designs, builds, and repairs mills.
Sadly, the mill didn't work for very long. After only about four years, a strong wind blew the sails off! This happened because the windshaft (the main axle holding the sails) broke.
For many years after that, the mill stood empty and broken. It wasn't used for pumping water anymore. But in 2002, important repairs were done to save the mill. These efforts helped to conserve it, meaning they fixed it up to protect it for the future. Now, it stands as a reminder of the past and the clever ways people used wind power.
