List of windmills in Leicestershire facts for kids
Windmills are amazing machines that use the power of the wind to do work! For hundreds of years, people used windmills to grind grain into flour, pump water, or even saw wood. They were super important for communities before electricity and steam power came along. Leicestershire, a county in England, used to have many windmills. Some are still standing today, while others have disappeared over time. This article will tell you about some of the windmills that once stood, or still stand, in Leicestershire.
Types of Windmills
Windmills come in different shapes and sizes, each designed for its purpose. Here are the main types you might find in Leicestershire:
Tower Mills
A tower mill is a type of windmill with a tall, fixed tower, usually made of brick or stone. Only the cap (the top part with the sails) can turn to face the wind. This design makes them very strong and able to stand for a long time. Many of the windmills still standing in Leicestershire are tower mills.
Post Mills
A post mill is one of the oldest types of windmills. The entire body of the mill, which holds all the machinery, is built on a single, large vertical post. This means the whole building has to be turned by hand to face the wind! They often look like a small house on a big stand.
Smock Mills
A smock mill looks a bit like a tower mill, but its body is usually made of wood and shaped like a pyramid with sloping sides. Like a tower mill, only the cap turns to catch the wind. They get their name because their shape looks like a traditional farmer's smock (a loose-fitting outer garment).
Other Wind Engines
Sometimes, you might find other types of wind-powered machines, like the Titt iron wind engine. These are often smaller and used for pumping water rather than grinding grain.
Famous Windmills in Leicestershire
Many windmills have come and gone in Leicestershire. Here are some of the most interesting ones, especially those that are still standing today.
Arnesby Windmill
The Arnesby Windmill is a tower mill that was built around 1815. It's located in Arnesby and is one of the windmills that you can still see today. It stands as a reminder of how important windmills once were for grinding flour.
Ashby Folville Windmill
Also known as Ashby Mill or Gaddesby Mill, this tower mill in Ashby Folville dates back to the early 19th century. It's another example of a windmill that has survived over the years.
Croxton Kerrial Windmill
The Croxton Mill in Croxton Kerrial is a smock mill. It was built in 1806. Smock mills are less common than tower mills, making this one quite special.
Gilmorton Mill
The Gilmorton Mill is a tower mill located in Gilmorton. It was built in the early 19th century and is still standing. It's a great example of the strong and lasting design of tower mills.
Harby Mill
Harby Mill in Harby is a tower mill that was partly taken down during the Second World War. Even though it's no longer complete, it tells a story of its past use.
Kibworth Harcourt Mill
The Kibworth Harcourt Mill in Kibworth Harcourt is a very special post mill. It was built in 1711 and is one of the oldest and most famous windmills in Leicestershire. It's a fantastic example of how these older mills worked.
Long Clawson Mill
The Long Clawson Mill is a tower mill in Long Clawson. It was built in the early 19th century and is another one of the windmills that you can still see today.
Fenney Spring Mill, Shepshed
Located in Shepshed, the Fenney Spring Mill is a tower mill that was built around 1840. It's a well-known landmark in the area.
Hough Mill, Swannington
The Hough Mill in Swannington is a tower mill from the late 18th century. It's another important historical windmill in the county.
Ullesthorpe Mill
The Ullesthorpe Mill in Ullesthorpe is a tower mill that was built in 1800. It's a significant part of the local history and a great example of a well-preserved windmill.
Wymondham Mill
The Wymondham Mill in Wymondham is a tower mill built around 1813. It's one of the beautiful windmills that still stands in Leicestershire.
Other Notable Windmills
Leicestershire had many other windmills, some of which are no longer standing but are part of the county's history.
- Barkestone Mill in Barkestone-le-Vale is a tower mill that is still standing.
- A post mill once stood in Kegworth.
- There was a smock mill in Market Harborough called Great Bowden Mill, which stood until around 1920.
- A Midlands Post mill called Redmile Mill was built in 1835 in Redmile and lasted until the 1920s.
- A post mill called Syston Mill stood in Syston.
- A tower mill called Thringstone Windmill was located in Thringstone.
- A Midlands Post mill called Woodhouse Eaves Mill was built in 1863 in Woodhouse Eaves but sadly burnt down in 1945.
- In Waltham on the Wolds, an older post mill was demolished in 1868, and a new tower mill was built in its place in 1868.
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