Heckington Windmill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Heckington Windmill |
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The mill as preserved
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| Origin | |
| Mill name | Heckington Windmill Pocklington's Mill, Heckington |
| Grid reference | TF 146 436 |
| Coordinates | 52°58′37″N 0°17′43″W / 52.977059°N 0.29521°W |
| Operator(s) | Heckington Mill Trust |
| Year built | 1830 |
| Information | |
| Purpose | Corn mill and sawmill |
| Type | Tower mill |
| No. of sails | Eight sails |
| Type of sails | Patent sails |
| Windshaft | Cast iron |
| Winding | Fantail |
| Fantail blades | Eight blades |
| No. of pairs of millstones | Four pairs |
| Type of saw | Circular saw |
Heckington Windmill is a very special building in the United Kingdom. It is the only windmill in the country with eight sails that are still working!
This famous mill is located in Heckington, a village in Lincolnshire, England. It stands close to the Heckington railway station, which is why it was once called the 'Station Mill'. The windmill is a very important historical site, known as a Grade I listed building. This means it is protected because of its special history and architecture.
Contents
Building the Mill
The Heckington Windmill was built in 1830. A man named Michael Hare had it constructed, and the plans were drawn by a skilled mill builder, Edward Ingledew. The mill's tower is made of red bricks. Its outer walls were painted with a black tar-like substance to keep moisture out.
When it was first built, the windmill had five sails, not eight. These sails were special "patent sails" that could adjust automatically to the wind. The mill has six levels inside, which are called "floors." These include the ground floor, where grain was prepared, and the upper floors where grain was stored and the cap (top part) of the mill was located.
A Mill's Story
For over 60 years, the five-sailed mill worked hard, grinding grain. But in 1890, a terrible storm hit. The wind blew the sails backward, and lightning damaged the "fantail" (a small windmill at the back that keeps the main sails facing the wind). This caused the top of the mill, called the "cap," to spin out of control. It eventually blew off, smashing the upper parts of the mill and all five sails. The mill was left in ruins.
The owner at the time, Joseph Nash, sadly gave up on the damaged mill.
A New Beginning
In 1891, a clever miller named John Pocklington from another town bought the eight-sailed cap and machinery from an old, broken mill called Tuxford's Mill. He got it for a very low price! He needed a place to put his new purchase, so he bought the wrecked Heckington Mill.
From 1891 to 1892, John Pocklington carefully fitted the eight-sailed cap from Tuxford's Mill onto the Heckington tower. This was a huge job, but it worked! The mill started working again with its new eight sails and continued for another 54 years. John Pocklington was very successful. He even added a large circular saw-mill next to the windmill, which was also powered by the wind. This saw was used to cut wood for things like coffins. Because of John Pocklington's hard work, the mill was often called Pocklington's Mill.
Restoration and Today
After John Pocklington passed away in 1941, the mill stopped working in 1946. For the next 40 years, it stood still. In 1953, the local council took over the mill. They started the first repairs to save this unique building. They even managed to put four of the eight sails back on, using parts from other old mills.
Later, the Lincolnshire County Council took responsibility for the mill. In 1986, with a lot of help from a group called "Friends of Heckington Mill," the windmill was fully restored and started working again! This included making 192 new "shades" (parts of the sails) and four new sails. The new sail cross alone weighed five tons!
The mill is now run by the Heckington Windmill Trust. In 2014, the Trust bought the land and buildings around the windmill. They turned these into a visitor center, a shop, and a bakehouse. The old miller's house is now a tea room and cafe. There's even a small brewery in the old saw mill building!
The windmill can also grind grain even when there's no wind. It has a special frame with millstones that can be powered by an oil engine. This means the mill can keep working no matter the weather!
Visiting the Mill
The Heckington Windmill is open for visitors:
- It is open all year on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
- During the summer holidays (mid-July to early September), it has extended opening hours.
You can find more information on their website: www.HeckingtonWindmill.org.uk
Eight-Sailed Windmills
Heckington Windmill is the last of its kind in England. There were once about 12 other windmills with eight sails, including four in Lincolnshire. Many of these other mills were changed to have fewer sails, turned into homes, or were taken apart.
- Skirbeck Mill (Tuxford's Mill), Boston, Lincolnshire (its machinery and sails were moved to Heckington in 1890)
- Barrington Mill, Holbeach, Lincolnshire
- Market Rasen Mill, Market Rasen, Lincolnshire
- Preston Place Mill, Angmering, Sussex
- Old Buckenham tower windmill, Norfolk (now has four sails)
- Victoria Road tower mill, Diss, Norfolk (now a home)
- Leach's tower mill in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire (a very tall eight-sailed mill, now a home)
Some windmills in other parts of the world, like the Mediterranean, also have many sails. However, their sails are often long poles with triangular cloths, different from the shutter-type sails of Heckington Windmill. There are also some rare windmills in Northern Europe and Finland with eight shorter, paddle-shaped sails.
Boyd's Windmill in Rhode Island, USA, is another example of a large windmill with eight sails.
Images for kids
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An eight-sailed post windmill on Kizhi island, Russia
