List of windmills in Derbyshire facts for kids

The List of Windmills in Derbyshire is about the many windmills that once stood, or still stand, in the English county of Derbyshire. Windmills are amazing machines that use the power of the wind to grind grain into flour or do other jobs. They were very important before electricity became common.

This list tells you about different windmills, where they were, what kind they were, and when they were built or stopped working. Some of these windmills are still around today, while others have disappeared over time.

Types of Windmills

Windmills come in different shapes and sizes. The most common types you'll find in Derbyshire are:

• Post Mills: These are the oldest type. The whole body of the mill, which holds the machinery, can turn on a large central post. This allows the miller to point the sails into the wind.
• Tower Mills: These mills have a fixed tower, usually made of brick or stone. Only the cap (the top part with the sails) turns to face the wind. This makes them stronger and able to hold more machinery.
• Smock Mills: These mills look a bit like a smock (a type of shirt). They have a wooden, often octagonal, tower that gets narrower towards the top. Like tower mills, only their cap turns.

Windmills Across Derbyshire

Many towns and villages in Derbyshire once had their own windmills. Here are some of the notable ones:

Historic Windmills by Location

Alderwasley Windmill

Near Alderwasley, there was a Post mill. It was first mentioned in 1767. It was still standing in 1811 but was gone by 1835.

Alfreton Windmills

Alfreton had a few windmills.

• Hitch Hill Mill was a Tower mill first noted in 1816. It was still working in 1824.
• Sleetmore Mill was a Post mill built around 1790. It was taken down in 1925.

Ashbourne Windmills

In Ashbourne, two windmills were recorded.

• One was on Windmill Lane, a Tower mill from 1791. It was gone by 1825.
• Ashley Mill was another Tower mill from 1838, still standing in 1847.

Ashover's Spancarr Mill

Ashover was home to Spancarr Mill, a Tower mill built in 1807.

Beighton Mill

In Beighton (now in South Yorkshire), a Post mill was built in 1791. Sadly, it was destroyed by fire in April 1831.

Belph Windmill

Belph had an unusual Open Trestle Post mill. It was noted in 1808 and was still standing in 1814.

Belper Windmill

Belper had Belper Mill, a Tower mill built in 1796.

Bolsover Windmills

Bolsover had a few mills.

• Sherwood Lodge Mill (also called Lime Kiln Fields Mill) was a Tower mill from 1793.

• Another Open Trestle Post mill was noted in 1795.

Borrowash Mill

In Borrowash, an Open Trestle Post mill was built in 1773. It was gone by 1857.

Breadsall Mill

Breadsall Mill was a Tower mill that was taken down in the 1840s.

Calow's Bole Hill Mill

Calow had Bole Hill Mill, a Post mill from 1812. It burned down on April 15, 1843.

Chellaston Mill

Chellaston Mill was a Tower mill built around 1827. It was still working in 1889. Only a small part of it remained in 1970, and it was completely gone by 1995.

Chesterfield Windmills

Chesterfield had several windmills.

• Holywell Street Mill was a Post mill from about 1787. It was sold in 1789 and then disappeared.
• New Brampton Mill was another Post mill from 1800. It was sold in 1814 and then no longer seen.
• Club Mill was a Tower mill from 1800.

Clay Cross Mill

Clay Cross Mill was a Post mill that was still standing in 1857.

Clowne Mill

Clowne Mill was a Post mill from 1767.

Codnor Mill

Codnor Mill was a Post mill from 1801. It was gone by 1836.

Creswell Mill

Creswell Mill was a Post mill from 1828, still working in 1864.

Crich Windmills

Crich had two mills.

• Pothouse Mill was built in 1757. It was moved to Four Lanes End in 1764.
• Four Lanes End Mill was a Tower mill from 1764. It burned out on February 15, 1849.

Dale Abbey's Cat and Fiddle Mill

In Dale Abbey, you would find the Cat and Fiddle Mill, a special Midlands Post mill built in 1788.

Derby Windmills

Derby had several windmills.

• Windmill Hill Lane Mill was a Tower mill from 1767. It was sold in 1781.
• Depot Mill was a Tower mill from 1816. It was likely taken down between 1855 and 1888.
• Normanton Road Mill was a Tower mill that was still standing in 1949.
• Chain Lane Mill in Littleover was a very old mill, dating back to medieval times.

Eckington Mill

Eckington Mill was a Post mill from 1825. It was destroyed by fire on January 19, 1832.

Eyam Mill

Eyam Mill was a Tower mill that was taken down around 1877.

Findern Windmill

Findern had the Findern Mill, a Tower mill from 1797.

Fritchley Mill

Fritchley Mill was a Post mill from 1793.

Hazelwood Mill

Hazelwood Mill was a Smock mill built in 1906. It was a pumping windmill and was taken down in 1939.

Heage Windmill

Heage is home to the famous Heage Windmill, a Tower mill built around 1797. It started working around 1805.

Holbrook Mill

Holbrook Mill was a Post mill from 1825. It was gone by 1880.

Hopton's Carsington Pasture Mill

In Hopton, you could find Carsington Pasture Mill, a Tower mill from the 1780s.

Horsley Mill

Horsley Park had Horsley Mill, a Post mill that was gone by 1841.

Hulland Ward Mill

Hulland Ward Mill was a Tower mill built around 1825. It was gone by 1880.

Ilkeston Windmills

Ilkeston had several windmills.

• Lawn Gardens Mill was a Post mill from 1817. It burned down in 1831.
• Field Mill was a Post mill that was moved to Derby Road in Ilkeston in the mid-1800s.
• Derby Road Mill was a Post mill from 1876, still standing in 1920.

Kilburn Mill

Kilburn Mill was a Tower mill from 1821. It was gone by 1879.

Long Eaton Mill

Long Eaton Mill was noted in 1808.

Loscoe Mill

Loscoe Mill was a Post mill that was advertised for sale in 1851.

Mapperley Mill

Mapperley Mill was a Post mill that was still standing in 1900 but was blown down by 1932.

Marlpool Windmills

Marlpool had a few windmills over time.

• An early mill from 1767 was gone by 1801.
• Another Post mill was destroyed by fire on December 4, 1828.
• A Tower mill was built around 1830 and taken apart in 1885.

Melbourne Windmills

Melbourne had several windmills.

• Melbourne Mill was a Tower mill built in 1797.

• Another Post mill was noted from 1808 to 1836.
• Ticknall Road Mill was a Post mill from 1782. It was sold in 1853.

Mickleover Windmills

Mickleover had two mills.

• Mill Field Mill from 1808 was moved to Common Road in 1850.
• Common Road Mill was a Tower mill from 1850. It was taken down around 1973.

Mosborough Mill

Mosborough Mill was a Tower mill built around 1802. It was gone by 1877.

Muggington Mill

Muggington Mill was a Tower mill built around 1830. It was still standing in 1876.

Netherseal Mill

Netherseal Mill was a Post mill that was working in 1904.

Newhall Mill

Newhall Mill was a Post mill that was working in 1841.

Nitticar Hill Mill

Nitticar Hill had Knitacre Mill from 1767. It was gone by 1830.

Ockbrook Windmill

Ockbrook had Ockbrook Mill, a Tower mill from 1811.

Pleasley Mill

Pleasley Mill was a Post mill from 1808. It was taken down in the late 1860s.

Riddings Windmills

Riddings had two famous Tower mills named James and Sarah. Both were built in 1877 and taken down in 1963.

Another Post mill was also in Riddings from 1829.

Ripley's Pease Hill Mill

Ripley had Pease Hill Mill, a Tower mill from 1808. It was taken down in the 1920s.

Risley Mill

Risley Mill was a Post mill from 1798. It was sold in 1835.

Sandiacre Mill

Sandiacre Mill was a Post mill from 1820. It was sold in 1834.

Sawley Mill

Sawley Mill was from 1794 and worked until 1861.

Shardlow Union Mill

Shardlow Union Mill was a Post mill from 1803. It was sold in 1851.

Shipley Mill

Shipley Mill was from 1808 but was blown down on May 16, 1809.

Shirebrook Mill

Shirebrook Mill was noted from 1828 to 1841.

Smalley Windmills

Smalley had a few mills that moved around.

• A mill on Cloves Lane from about 1700 was moved to Smalley watermill in 1800.
• It was then moved back to Cloves Lane in 1815 and taken down around 1856.
• Another mill on Swine Hill Lane from 1800 burned down before 1828.

Smisby Mill

Smisby had a Post mill at Ann's Well Place from 1767. It was blown down around 1920.

South Normanton Windmills

South Normanton had several windmills.

• Fordbridge Lane Mill was a Tower mill from the 1820s.

• Normanton Common Mill was a Tower mill from the 1850s.

• A Post mill from about 1805 worked until 1908. Its remains were declared beyond repair in 1997 and burned.
• Another Post mill from 1630 was badly damaged in December 1809.

Spinkhill Mill

Spinkhill Mill was a Tower mill from 1767. Its house was converted in 1879, and the mill was taken down in the mid-1950s.

Spondon Mill

Spondon Mill was a Post mill from 1824, still standing in 1861.

Swarkestone Windmills

Swarkestone had a Tower mill from 1794. It was not used after 1889 and was completely gone by 1983. Swarkestone Lowes also had a Post mill from 1675 to 1745.

Swathick Mill

Swathick Mill was noted in 1808.

Temple Normanton Mill

Temple Normanton Mill was a Tower mill from 1796. It was taken down in 1935.

Tibshelf's Nethermoor Mill

Tibshelf had a Post mill at Nethermoor from 1767. It was taken down in 1915, but its roundhouse (the base) remained until the 1960s.

West Hallam Mill

West Hallam Mill was noted from 1767 to 1808.

Whitwell Mill

Whitwell Mill was a Tower mill built in 1829. It worked until 1912 and was taken down in 1965.

Whittington Mill

Whittington Mill was a Tower mill from 1808. It was taken down around 1900.

Willington Mill

Willington Mill was noted from 1710 to 1825.

Wirksworth Mill

Wirksworth Mill was a Post mill from 1799. It was sold in 1849.

Woodville's Butt House Mill

Woodville had Butt House Mill, a Post mill built around 1827. It was taken down around 1880.

Images for kids

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  Riddings Mills