Lannock Mill, Weston facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Weston Windmill |
|
|---|---|
| Origin | |
| Mill name | Lannock Mill |
| Mill location | TL 253 306 |
| Coordinates | 51°57′35″N 0°10′31″W / 51.95972°N 0.17528°W |
| Operator(s) | Private |
| Year built | 1860 |
| Information | |
| Purpose | Corn mill |
| Type | Tower mill |
| Storeys | Five storeys |
| No. of sails | Four sails |
| Type of sails | Single Patent sails |
| Winding | Fantail |
| Fantail blades | Eight blades |
| Auxiliary power | Steam engine, later replaced by a gas engine |
| No. of pairs of millstones | Four pairs |
Lannock Mill is an old windmill located in Weston, Hertfordshire, England. It is a special type of windmill called a tower mill. Today, it is no longer working and is known as a "derelict" building. It is also a Grade II listed building, which means it is an important historical structure that needs to be protected.
Contents
The Story of Lannock Mill
Building the Mill
Lannock Mill was built in 1860. However, maps from as early as 1720 showed that there was already a windmill in this area before Lannock Mill was constructed.
The mill was first built and run by a man named Richard Christy. He operated the mill until 1868. After that, his son, also named Richard, took over the business.
Changes and Challenges
In 1882, Richard Christy Jr. moved to America. The mill was then taken over by Thomas Sanderson. He added a steam engine to the mill. This engine helped power the mill when there wasn't enough wind.
In the late 1880s, a big storm badly damaged the mill. To fix it, new sails and a new cap (the top part of the windmill) were put on. These repairs were done by a company called Course's, who were expert mill builders from Biggleswade. Later, the steam engine was replaced with a gas engine.
When the Mill Stopped Working
Lannock Mill continued to grind corn using wind power into the early 1920s. It kept working with its engine until 1929. Over the years, the machinery inside the mill was removed. This is why only the empty tower stands today.
What Lannock Mill Looked Like
Lannock Mill is a five-storey tower mill. This means it has five levels inside its tall, round stone tower.
The tower is about 21 feet (6.4 meters) wide at its base. Its walls are about 2 feet (610 millimeters) thick there. At the top, where the cap sits, the tower is about 15 feet (4.6 meters) wide. The walls at the top are about 1 foot 4 inches (406 millimeters) thick. The tower itself stands about 48 feet (14.6 meters) tall up to the curb, which is the ring where the cap turns.
When it was complete, the mill stood over 60 feet (18.3 meters) high to the very top of its cap finial (the decorative top part). It had a special "ogee cap," which is shaped like an S-curve. This cap would turn to face the wind, helped by an eight-bladed fantail. A fantail is a small windmill at the back of the cap that automatically turns the main cap into the wind.
The mill had four Single Patent sails. These are the large blades that catch the wind. Inside, the mill used four pairs of millstones to grind grain into flour. A large cast iron great spur wheel helped to turn these millstones.
Millers Who Worked Here
- Richard Christy (1860-1868)
- Richard Christy Jr. (1868-1882)
- Thomas Sanderson (1868-1888)
- Charles T Stratton (1888-1929)
