Maud Foster Windmill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Maud Foster Windmill |
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Maud Foster Mill, January 2008
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| Origin | |
| Mill location | Boston, Lincolnshire |
| Coordinates | 52°59′01″N 0°01′04″W / 52.9835°N 0.0178°W |
| Operator(s) | James Waterfield |
| Year built | 1819 |
| Information | |
| Purpose | Corn mill |
| Type | Tower mill |
| Storeys | Seven storey |
| No. of sails | Five |
| Type of sails | Patent sails |
| Windshaft | Cast iron |
| Winding | Fantail |
| Fantail blades | Eight blades |
| No. of pairs of millstones | Three pairs |
The Maud Foster Windmill is a very tall windmill in Boston, Lincolnshire, England. It stands next to the Maud Foster Drain, which is how it got its name. This amazing mill has seven floors and five large sails.
It is one of the biggest working windmills in England. The mill is about 80 feet (24 meters) tall, measured up to the ball on its cap. Both the mill tower and the building next to it, called the granary, are special. They are listed as a Grade I building, meaning they are very important historically. The mill was built in 1819 and was carefully repaired and brought back to life in 1988.
History of the Mill
The Maud Foster Windmill was built in 1819. It was made for two brothers, Isaac and Thomas Reckitt, who were millers and bakers. They hired special builders called millwrights, Norman and Smithson from Hull, to construct it. The mill was placed on Willoughby Road, right by the Maud Foster Drain.
Back then, boats would bring corn along the drain directly to the mill. We know a lot about its building because the original drawings and cost records still exist. Building the mill cost £1826-10s-6d, which was a lot of money back then!
The Reckitt brothers sold the mill in 1833. This happened because there weren't enough good harvests in the years before. Isaac Reckitt later moved away and started a famous company called Reckitt & Sons.
In 1914, the Ostler family bought the mill. They ran the business, which was known as Ostler's Mill, until 1948. After that, the mill closed down and started to fall apart. In 1953, Isaac Reckitt's great-grandson, Basil, arranged for some family charities to pay for important repairs. This helped save the mill. In the same year, it was officially listed as a building of "exceptional interest."
A new chapter began in 1987 when James Waterfield and his family bought the mill. They worked hard to restore it in 1988. Now, Maud Foster Windmill is fully working again. It is even the most productive windmill in all of England! Visitors can explore all seven floors and watch how the milling process works. You can also enjoy great views of Boston from the balcony. The mill even has a shop where you can buy flour and porridge.
How the Mill is Built
The main part of the mill is a tall, seven-story tower. It is made from a type of brick called gault brick. Each floor has windows that slide open, with curved tops.
At the very top of the tower is a special cap. It's shaped like a dome, called an ogee cap, and is made of white-painted wood and canvas. This cap holds the five sails and a fan tail. The fan tail helps turn the cap so the sails always face the wind.
On the third floor, there's a wooden balcony that sticks out from the mill. You can get into the mill through two wooden doors at the bottom, up three stone steps.
Next to the mill is a three-story building called the granary. It's made of red brick and has a roof that slopes on all four sides, covered with curved tiles. This building has four sections. One section has large doors for bringing in supplies, and the other three have windows like those on the mill. Above the large doors, there's a small wooden roofed structure called a lucam. This was used to lift sacks into the granary.
Inside the Mill: Equipment
The Maud Foster Windmill still has its original wooden floor beams and machinery from 1819. This equipment was made by the same millwrights, Norman and Smithson. The mill has three sets of grinding stones, and they are all still working!
Most windmills have four sails, but Maud Foster has five special "patent sails." These sails have shutters that can be opened or closed to control how much wind catches them.
An interesting part of this mill is its "weather beam." This is a strong beam that holds the main shaft. Here, it's made of cast iron, which is unusual, as it was probably originally made of wood. The "brake wheel" is a large wooden wheel with an iron ring that helps stop the mill. The "wallower" is another iron wheel that helps power the "sackhoist," a machine that lifts sacks of grain.
The "dust floor" is the top floor where dust from milling collects. It's quite large and has windows, which is not common in other mills in Lincolnshire.
On the fourth floor, you'll find the three pairs of grinding stones. Two are grey stones, and one is a special French stone. All the parts needed for grinding, like vats and spouts, are still there. The "great spur wheel" is a large iron gear that drives the grinding stones. The "stone nuts," which connect to the stones, have wooden teeth.
The "spout floor" is where the ground flour comes out. From here, you can also reach the "reefing stage," a platform outside. This floor also has a clever device called a "governor." This machine automatically controls all three pairs of grinding stones to keep them working smoothly. The "bridge trees," which support the grinding stones, are made of iron and have a unique Y-shape.
