Davison's Mill, Stelling Minnis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Davison's Mill, Stelling Minnis |
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Davison's Mill, May 2010
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| Origin | |
| Mill name | Davison's Mill |
| Grid reference | TR 146 466 |
| Coordinates | 51°10′38″N 1°04′09″E / 51.17734°N 1.06930°E |
| Operator(s) | Kent County Council |
| Year built | 1866 |
| Information | |
| Purpose | Corn mill |
| Type | Smock mill |
| Storeys | Four-storey smock |
| Base storeys | Low brick base of a few courses |
| Smock sides | Eight-sided |
| No. of sails | Four |
| Type of sails | Double Patent sails |
| Windshaft | Cast iron |
| Winding | Fantail |
| Fantail blades | Six bladed |
| Auxiliary power | Hornsby hot-bulb oil engine since 1923 |
| No. of pairs of millstones | Two pairs |
| Other information | Was last commercially working windmill in Kent. Has the only surviving original hot-bulb auxiliary engine in any windmill in the United Kingdom |
Davison's Mill, also called Stelling Minnis Windmill, is a special type of windmill known as a smock mill. It's located in Stelling Minnis, Kent, England. This mill was built in 1866. It was the very last windmill in Kent that was still grinding grain for businesses when it stopped working in late 1970.
Today, the mill is looked after by the Stelling Minnis Windmill and Museum Trust. This group started on January 26, 2010. You can visit the mill from Easter Sunday until the end of September. It's open on Sundays and Bank Holidays, from 2 PM to 5 PM. The mill's grounds also host the yearly Stelling Minnis fete.
Contents
History of Davison's Mill
Davison's Mill was built in 1866. It was created by Thomas Holman, a millwright from Canterbury. A millwright is someone who designs and builds mills. This new mill replaced an older, simpler type of windmill.
The mill used wind power to grind grain until 1925. However, an oil engine was added in 1923. This engine allowed the mill to keep working even without wind.
Restoration and Later Years
In April 1935, the mill was fully repaired and started working again. A person named H. Laurie paid for this work. It was done to remember her brother, Colonel Ronald Macdonald Laurie, who had passed away. Because of this restoration, Laurie received a special award for helping to protect windmills.
In the early 1950s, one pair of the mill's sails blew off. After that, the mill worked with only one pair of sails. The oil engine helped it to continue grinding. When Alec Davison, the miller, retired in late 1970, Davison's Mill was the last commercial windmill in Kent.
After Mr. Davison's death, Kent County Council took over the mill. A big restoration project began in 2003. The sails were taken down on July 19, and the top part of the mill was removed on July 20. The money for this work came from the Heritage Lottery Fund and Kent County Council. The repairs were done by IJP Millwrights and took three months to finish.
How Davison's Mill Works
Davison's Mill is a four-storey smock mill. This means it has a wooden tower that looks a bit like a smock (an old-fashioned shirt). It sits on a low brick base, which is only about 14 inches (35 cm) high. The mill stands about 43 feet (13 meters) tall to the very top.
Key Parts of the Mill
The mill has four large sails that catch the wind. These sails are connected to a strong cast-iron shaft inside the mill. A special device called a fantail helps to turn the top of the mill. This makes sure the sails always face the wind.
Inside, the mill uses the power from the sails to turn two pairs of millstones. These stones grind the grain into flour. The main gears that connect the sails to the millstones are made of cast iron.
The Oil Engine
The mill also has a "1912" hot-bulb engine. This engine was sent to the mill in May 1923. It's a special type of engine that helped the mill work when there wasn't enough wind.
Millers of Davison's Mill
- Colver (worked the older post mill)
- George Goble (1866 - 1878)
- Henry William Davison (1878 - ?)
- Alec Davison (1940 - 1970)
