Herringfleet Windmill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Herringfleet Mill |
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Herringfleet Mill
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| Origin | |
| Mill name | Walker's Mill Herringfleet drainage mill |
| Grid reference | TM 4654 9762 |
| Coordinates | 52°31′15″N 1°37′58″E / 52.5207°N 1.6327°E |
| Operator(s) | Suffolk County Council |
| Year built | c1820 |
| Information | |
| Purpose | Drainage mill |
| Type | Smock mill |
| Storeys | three-storey smock |
| Base storeys | Low brick base of a few courses |
| Smock sides | Eight sides |
| No. of sails | Four sails |
| Type of sails | Common sails |
| Windshaft | Cast Iron |
| Winding | Tailpole |
| Type of pump | Scoopwheel |
| Other information | Two sails removed. |
Herringfleet Mill, also known as Walker's Mill, is a special old windmill in Herringfleet, Suffolk, England. It is a "Grade II* listed" building, which means it's very important historically. This type of mill is called a smock mill. It used to pump water from the land, helping to keep the area from flooding. Today, it is not working as it once did, and two of its four sails have been removed.
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The Mill's Story: How It Was Built and Saved
This mill was built around 1820 by Robert Barnes. He was a millwright, someone who designs and builds mills. The mill stopped working in 1883 for a while but was later put back into use.
The mill used wind power until 1956. Its owners, the Somerleyton Estate, wanted to make sure it was saved. East Suffolk County Council and the Ministry of Works agreed to help pay for its repair. Other groups also contributed money.
Restoration work began in 1958. Thomas Smithdale & Sons, who were also millwrights, did the repairs. The mill officially reopened on July 25, 1958. Charles Howlett, who had worked at the mill for over forty years, opened it. More restoration work was done in 1971 by Neville Martin.
How Herringfleet Mill Works
Herringfleet Mill is a unique type of windmill called an octagonal three-storey smock mill. It has a boat-shaped top, called a cap. To turn the mill into the wind, it uses a long pole and a winch. This was the last mill on the Broads to use this method.
The mill has four large sails. These sails are attached to a strong cast-iron shaft called a windshaft. Inside the mill, a large wooden wheel with 59 teeth helps turn other parts. This wheel connects to a cast-iron gear with 47 teeth.
All these gears work together to power a large scoopwheel. This scoopwheel is about 16 feet (4.9 meters) wide. It could pump an amazing 2,000 gallons (9,092 liters) of water every minute! This helped drain the land around the mill.
People Who Worked at the Mill
The people who managed the mill and the surrounding marshland were called marshmen.
- Jimmy Walker
- Charles Howlett (from 1916 to 1956)
Visiting Herringfleet Mill
You can visit Herringfleet Mill on special days. It is usually open on National Mills Day, which is the second Sunday in May. It is also open on some other days during the summer and autumn.
Herringfleet Mill in Movies
Herringfleet windmill has appeared in films!
- It was in a short film called And now they rest, released in 1938.
- The mill was also featured in the opening scene of the 2014 movie Mr Turner. In that film, it pretended to be a Dutch windmill.
