Great Bircham Windmill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Great Bircham Windmill |
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Great Bircham Windmill
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| Origin | |
| Mill name | Great Bircham Windmill |
| Grid reference | TF 7606 3272 |
| Coordinates | 52°51′46″N 0°36′49″E / 52.8628°N 0.6135°E |
| Operator(s) | Private |
| Year built | 1846 |
| Information | |
| Purpose | Corn mill |
| Type | Tower mill |
| Storeys | Five storeys |
| No. of sails | Four sails |
| Type of sails | Double Patent sails |
| Windshaft | Cast iron |
| Winding | Fantail |
| Fantail blades | Six blades |
| No. of pairs of millstones | Three pairs, of which two pairs remain. |
Great Bircham Windmill is a famous old windmill located in Great Bircham, Norfolk, England. It's a special type of windmill called a tower mill, and it's protected as a Grade II listed building because of its historical importance. This means it's a very important historical building.
Contents
History of Great Bircham Windmill
Early Windmills in Great Bircham
The story of windmills in Great Bircham goes way back! The first mention of a windmill here was in 1761. This early mill was likely a post mill, which is a type of windmill where the whole body of the mill turns on a central post.
Over the years, different millers owned and operated this first mill. The Humphrey family owned it for a long time. Around 1846, the old post mill was taken down. This made space for a brand new, stronger tower mill to be built in its place.
Building the Tower Mill
The tower mill you see today was built in 1846 for George Humphrey. You can even see the date carved into a stone between two windows on the first floor. The mill was first built with cream-colored bricks. Later, it was covered in tar to protect it.
The mill changed hands many times over the years. Different families, like the Stantons and Waggs, worked there. William Howard was the last miller to operate the mill. It was still working in 1916 but stopped grinding grain by 1922. By 1934, its large sails and fantail were removed.
Royal Connections and Restoration
For a while, the windmill was part of the huge Houghton Estate. In 1939, the mill was sold to the Queen. This made it part of the famous Sandringham Estate.
In May 1976, Roger Wagg bought the mill from Queen Elizabeth II. He started a big project to restore the mill in 1977. This was a huge job to bring the old mill back to life!
Bringing the Mill Back to Life
The restoration of Great Bircham Windmill began in 1977. Workers carefully removed the old cap frame in 1979. A new cap was then put in place. The first two sails were added in May 1980. The final two sails were fitted in May 1983.
The outside of the tower was covered with a special black protective coating. Inside, new floors were put in. A new platform was built around the mill. Some of the old machinery was replaced with parts from other windmills. For example, a part for lifting sacks came from Harpley.
How the Windmill Works
Great Bircham Mill is a five-story tower mill. It has a platform, or stage, around the third floor. The tower is about 15.8 meters (52 feet) tall up to the top edge. Its base is about 7.6 meters (25 feet) wide. The walls at the bottom are about 76 centimeters (2 feet 6 inches) thick.
The mill has a special dome-shaped roof called an ogee cap. This cap has a walkway around it. A six-bladed fantail helps turn the cap so the sails always face the wind. Four large double Patent sails are attached to a strong cast-iron windshaft. Inside, other cast-iron parts like the wallower and upright shaft help transfer the power. The mill uses two pairs of French Burr millstones to grind grain into flour.
Millers Who Worked Here
Post Mill Millers
- Richard Miller (1761-1784)
- Robert Sparham (1800)
- George Humphrey (1804)
- Bloom Humphrey (1836-)
- Martha Humphrey (-1845)
- George Humphrey (1845-1846)
Tower Mill Millers
- George Humphrey (1846-1864)
- Henry Stanton (1864-1875)
- Philip Stanton (1864-1875)
- Walter Palmer (1878-1882)
- Joseph Wagg (1883-1888)
- Thomas Howard (1890-1896)
- Mrs Howard (1900-1908)
- William Alfred Howard (1912-1916)
- Roger Wagg (1976-2006)
- Steve & Elly Chalmers (2006 to date)
Visiting Great Bircham Windmill
Great Bircham Windmill is open to visitors every day from Easter until the end of September. You can visit between 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM. If you are part of a large group, like a school trip, you can arrange your visit ahead of time.
