List of windmills in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight facts for kids

Windmills are amazing machines that use the power of the wind to do work. For hundreds of years, they helped people grind grain into flour or pump water. In the counties of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, many windmills once stood tall.

Some of these windmills are still around today. Others have disappeared over time. This article explores the history of windmills in these areas. It looks at different types of windmills and where they were located.

Windmills in Hampshire

Hampshire has a rich history of windmills. Many different kinds of mills have been built here. Some were used for grinding grain. Others were used for other tasks, like pumping water.

Types of Windmills

There are a few main types of windmills you might find.

• A Post mill is one of the oldest types. The whole body of the mill, which holds the machinery, can turn on a central post. This lets the sails face the wind.
• A Tower mill has a fixed tower. Only the cap (the top part) turns to face the wind. This type is often taller and stronger.
• A Smock mill looks a bit like a smock (a type of shirt). It has a wooden, often octagonal, tower that gets narrower towards the top. Like a tower mill, only its cap turns.
• A Titt iron wind engine is a smaller, metal windmill. These were often used on farms to pump water. They were not usually for grinding grain.

Famous Hampshire Windmills

Several windmills in Hampshire are well-known.

Bursledon Windmill

The Bursledon Windmill is very special. It is Hampshire's only working windmill. This means it can still grind grain today. The first mill here was a post mill built around 1766. It was later replaced by a tower mill in 1813. You can still visit it and see how it works!

Chalton Windmill

The Chalton Mill is another important tower mill. Records show a mill existed in Chalton as early as 1289. The current tower mill was built in the early 19th century. It stands as a reminder of the area's milling past.

Crux Easton Wind Engine

The Crux Easton wind engine is a great example of a Titt iron wind engine. It was built around 1891. These smaller windmills were very useful for farms. They helped pump water for crops and animals.

Langstone Windmill

The Langstone Mill is a tower mill built around 1730. It is located near the coast. Windmills in coastal areas often helped with various tasks. They might have ground grain for local communities.

Other Notable Hampshire Mills

Many other windmills once stood in Hampshire.

• In Basingstoke, a Titt iron wind engine was noted in 1898.
• Cliddesden also had a Titt iron wind engine, built in 1901. It was taken down in the 1940s.
• A tower mill called Peel Common Mill was in Titchfield. It was built in the 18th century and taken down in the 1920s.
• Portsmouth had many mills, including Dock Mill, built in 1796. It was demolished in 1923.

Windmills on the Isle of Wight

The Isle of Wight also has its share of windmill history. These mills played a vital role in the island's economy.

Bembridge Windmill

The Knowle Mill in Bembridge is a famous tower mill. It was built around 1700. It is one of the most complete windmills in England. It is now owned by the National Trust. You can visit it and learn about its history.

Calbourne Mill

Calbourne has a mill that was built in the 1980s. While not as old as some, it shows that the tradition of windmills continues. It is part of a popular visitor attraction.

Other Isle of Wight Mills

• In Cowes, the Mill Hill Mill was a tower mill built in 1771. It was demolished in 1923.
• Freshwater had several mills over the centuries. One was a tower mill built in 1863.
• Sandown and Shalcombe both had post mills in the early 17th century.

Windmills are a fascinating part of history. They show how people used natural power to help their communities. The remaining windmills in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are important landmarks. They remind us of a time when wind power was essential.

Images for kids

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  Bursledon Windmill is Hampshire's only working windmill.

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  The tower mill at Chalton.

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  The Titt iron wind engine at Crux Easton.

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  Langstone Windmill in 1869.

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  Peel Common Mill in Titchfield.

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  Bembridge Windmill, a well-preserved tower mill.

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  The modern windmill at Calbourne Mill.