List of windmills in Devon facts for kids

Windmills are amazing structures that use the power of wind to do work, usually grinding grain into flour or pumping water. For hundreds of years, they were super important for communities, helping people make food and manage water.

Devon, a beautiful county in England, has a rich history with windmills. While many have disappeared over time, records and remaining structures tell us about these fascinating machines. This article will take you on a journey to discover some of the windmills that once stood, or still stand, in Devon.

What Are Windmills?

Windmills come in different shapes and sizes, but they all use large blades or sails to catch the wind. When the wind pushes the sails, it turns a central shaft, which then powers machinery inside the mill.

Types of Windmills

• Tower Mill: This is the most common type you might imagine. It has a tall, round stone or brick tower. Only the cap (the top part with the sails) turns to face the wind. This made them very strong and able to handle strong winds.
• Post Mill: This is one of the oldest types. The entire body of the mill, including the machinery and the sails, sits on a single large wooden post. The whole mill building had to be turned by hand to face the wind.
• Titt Iron Wind Engine: These are a more modern type of wind pump, often used for pumping water on farms. They have a metal framework and many small blades, looking a bit like a fan. They were made by a company called John Wallis Titt.

Windmills of Devon: A Glimpse into the Past

Many windmills in Devon were used for grinding corn, but some were also used for other tasks. Here's a look at some of the interesting windmills found across the county.

Brixham's Mills

Brixham was home to a couple of tower mills.

• Little Rey Mill: This tower mill was first mentioned in 1797. It was still around in 1840.
• Furzeham Common Mill: Another tower mill, this one was built around 1818 and was in use until 1838.

Broadclyst's Clyston Manor Mill

The Clyston Manor Mill in Broadclyst is a tower mill. It was first recorded in 1786. You can still see parts of it today.

Galmpton's Tower Mill

Near Galmpton Warnborough, there was a tower mill that started around 1810. It was an important part of the local landscape for many years.

Instow's Church Mill

Instow had a tower mill known as Church Mill. While we don't have an exact first mention date, it was a known landmark in the area.

North Whilborough's Long Burrow Mill

The Long Burrow Mill in North Whilborough was another tower mill. Its exact history is a bit unclear, but it was a notable structure.

Paignton's Fernacombe Mill

In Paignton, the Fernacombe Mill was a tower mill first recorded in 1829. It played a role in the local community for some time.

Petrockstowe's Heanton Mill

The Heanton Mill in Petrockstowe is a tower mill that dates back to at least 1756. It's one of the older recorded tower mills in Devon.

Plymouth's Mills

Plymouth, a large port city, also had its share of windmills.

• Hoe Mill: This was a post mill, a very old type, first mentioned in 1564 and lasting until 1792.
• Devonport Mill: Plymouth also had a tower mill in Devonport, built around 1762 and demolished by 1843.

Lundy Island's Mills

Even the remote Lundy Island had windmills! Both the North Mill and West Mill were tower mills from the 17th century. The North Mill was already a ruin by 1787.

Wind Engines for Water

Some places in Devon used a different kind of wind power: the Titt iron wind engine. These were not for grinding grain but for pumping water.

• Heale House in Littleham had one.
• Shute House in Shute also had one, installed around 1900.

Other Notable Mentions

Many other places in Devon had windmills, even if their details are less known. These include:

• Abbotsham (Bowood Mill, Tealter Mill)
• Alverdiscott
• Bere Ferrers
• Cruwys Morchard
• Dartmouth (a post mill)
• Exminster (Shillingford Mill)
• Exmouth (a tower mill, demolished 1849)
• Holsworthy (a tower mill, demolished around 1890)
• Northam (Bidna Mill, a tower mill whose tower blew down in 1919)
• Pilton (first mentioned 1594)
• Plympton St Mary
• Rackenford
• Sandford (Dowrish Mill)
• Stokenham
• Teigngrace
• Teignmouth (demolished by 1759)
• Topsham (demolished by 1817)
• Torquay (Yaddon Down Mill, Chelston Mill, Fleet Mill)
• Witheridge
• Woodbury (first mentioned 1289)
• Woodbury Salterton
• Woolfardisworthy (Almiston Mill)

Historical Maps

Historians and researchers often use old maps to find out where windmills once stood. These maps act like time capsules, showing us how the landscape looked centuries ago. Some important maps that show Devon's windmills include:

• 1675 John Ogilby map
• 1765 Benjamin Donn map
• 1809 Ordnance Survey map
• 1827 C & J Greenwood map

Images for kids

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  Little Rey Mill in Brixham.

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  The tower mill at Broadclyst.

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  Galmpton Windmill.

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  Church Mill in Instow.

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  North Whilborough windmill.

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  Paignton windmill.

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  Petrockstowe windmill.

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  Yaddon Down Mill near Torquay.