Mill Lane Mill, Carbrooke facts for kids

Mill Lane Mill is a special old building called a tower mill in Carbrooke, Norfolk, England. It has been kept safe, and some of its original parts are still inside. It is listed as a Grade II building, which means it's important and protected.

The Mill's Story

How it Started

Carbrooke Windmill was built in 1856. It took the place of an even older type of windmill called a post mill, which had been there since at least 1811. The new tower mill was built for Richard Dewing, who lived at Carbrooke Hall.

Richard Dewing passed away in 1876. After that, Edward May Dewing took care of the mill and the family's land.

Powering the Mill

By 1888, a steam engine was added to the mill. This engine was used as an extra power source, or "auxiliary power." It could turn a separate set of millstones to grind grain.

In 1900, the mill was put up for sale. Herbert Jeremiah Minns, who was already working at the mill, bought it. In 1920, some new sails were put on the mill. These sails came from another windmill nearby, called Little Cressingham Windmill.

Changes Over Time

Herbert Jeremiah Minns died in 1921, and his son, Herbert Willie Minns, took over the mill. In 1932, the large sails of the windmill were taken off by a company called Martins, who were millwrights (people who build and repair mills) from Beccles, Suffolk.

That same year, a different kind of engine was installed. It was a 1911 Crossley engine that ran on paraffin (a type of fuel). This engine had a special "hot bulb" design. It had a very interesting past: it was used to power a searchlight during the First World War! After the war, it was used at a farm before coming to the mill.

The mill continued to grind grain using this engine until 1943. Later, in 1967, the mill was passed to Herbert Henry Minns. In 1979, the top part of the mill (the cap frame) and the main shaft (the windshaft) were removed. A temporary cap was put on top. At one point, a small wind turbine was even placed on the tower. Today, many of the original gears and parts inside the mill are still there.

What the Mill Looks Like

Mill Lane Mill is a tower mill with five floors. The inside of the tower is about 17 feet (5.18 m) wide at the bottom. Its walls are very thick, about 2 feet (610 mm).

The mill used to have a boat-shaped cap on top. This cap could turn to face the wind thanks to an eight-bladed fantail. The mill also had four large double Patent sails. These sails were attached to a strong cast iron windshaft, which was about 12 feet 6 inches (3.81 m) long.

The last set of sails on the mill were a bit unusual. They were a mismatched pair! The inner sails had eight sections with three shutters each. The outer sails, which came from Little Cressingham Mill, had nine sections with three shutters.

The windshaft was made by W H Wigg & Co in 1879 or 1880. This shaft connected to a large gear called the brake wheel. The brake wheel then turned another gear, a cast iron wallower, which was made in 1871 or later. Some other parts inside the mill are thought to have been made in Belgium. These parts were made using metric measurements.

A very large gear, the great spur wheel, is also made of cast iron but has wooden teeth. It is about 8 feet 6 inches (2.6 m) wide. This wheel helped turn the stone nuts, which are smaller gears made of cast iron. These stone nuts had different numbers of teeth: one had 20, one had 24, and the third had 25.

Millers

• Henry Knights (1856–63)
• George Goddard (1863–78)
• Samuel Goddard (1879–90)
• Herbert Jeremiah Minns (1892–1921)
• Herbert Willie Minns (1921–43)