Chillenden Windmill Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Chillenden windmill

Origin
Grid reference	TR 268 543
Coordinates	51°14′32″N 1°14′58″E / 51.24222°N 1.24944°E / 51.24222; 1.24944
Operator(s)	Kent County Council
Year built	2005
Information
Purpose	Corn milling
Type	open trestle post mill
No. of sails	Four
Type of sails	Spring sails
Windshaft	Cast iron
Winding	Tailpole
No. of pairs of millstones	Two pairs located in the breast
Other information	Last post mill built in Kent.

The Chillenden Windmill is a very special old windmill located north of Chillenden, in Kent, England. It's listed as a Grade II* building, which means it's really important and protected. This windmill is unique because it's the very last "post mill" ever built in Kent. A post mill is a type of windmill where the whole body of the mill turns on a central post to face the wind.

History of Chillenden Windmill
The Mill's Collapse and Rebuilding
What the Windmill Looks Like
Gallery
Millers Who Worked Here
See also

History of Chillenden Windmill

Chillenden Windmill was built in 1868 by a company called Holman's from Canterbury. It replaced an older windmill that had been blown down by strong winds. The builders even used some parts from the old mill to create the new one!

People have known about a windmill in this spot for a very long time. It was shown on old maps from 1596, 1611, 1695, 1736, and 1769. It also appeared on all Ordnance Survey maps starting from 1819.

In 1927, Holman's, who were experts in building and fixing mills, added a new main beam and two new sails to the windmill. The mill kept working until 1949, when it lost a sail during a big storm.

In 1955, people living nearby helped raise money to make sure the mill was safe from the weather. Then, on December 12, 1957, Kent County Council bought the mill for £100. They spent £728 to fix it up, though some of its old machinery was taken out.

The Mill's Collapse and Rebuilding

Sadly, Chillenden Windmill fell down on November 26, 2003. This happened because one of the four main supports (called piers) had slowly sunk into the ground over time. Also, the mill was stuck in one position and couldn't turn to face the wind properly during the storm.

On December 15, 2003, the broken pieces of the mill were carefully taken apart and stored. People wondered if the mill would be moved to the Museum of Kent Life. But on March 31, 2004, Kent County Council announced that the mill would be rebuilt right where it was!

A company called IJP Millwrights, from Binfield Heath, Berkshire, did the rebuilding work. They put in new main beams and supports, a new main shaft, and rebuilt the front and back parts of the mill. They also put new wooden boards on the outside. Four new sails were made, replacing the ones that were on the mill when it collapsed. These sails had only been put on in 2001.

By May 2005, work began to put the mill's frame back together on its new base. The main structure of the mill was set up on May 25, 2005. The Chillenden Windmill was finally ready and reopened to visitors on September 13, 2005.

What the Windmill Looks Like

Chillenden Windmill is a white "open-trestle post mill." This means its main body sits on a big wooden frame (the trestle) that is open underneath. It has four "spring sails," which are a type of sail that can adjust to the wind. These sails are connected to a strong metal shaft called a "windshaft."

Inside, the windshaft has a large metal "brake wheel" with a wooden edge. This wheel has fifty wooden teeth that turn another metal wheel, which then spins a tall metal shaft. This shaft connects to a large "great spur wheel." This wheel then turns two pairs of "millstones" located in the front part of the mill. These millstones were used to grind corn.

The mill used to have a machine called a "maize kibbler" for crushing corn, but it was removed when the mill was fixed in 1958. To make the mill face the wind, workers used a long wooden pole called a "tailpole" to push and turn the whole mill body.