Mountnessing Windmill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mountnessing Mill |
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The restored mill, April 2007
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| Origin | |
| Mill name | Mountnessing Mill |
| Mill location | TQ 631 979 |
| Coordinates | 51°39′22″N 0°21′29″E / 51.656°N 0.358°E |
| Operator(s) | Essex County Council |
| Year built | 1807 |
| Information | |
| Purpose | Corn mill |
| Type | Post mill |
| Roundhouse storeys | Single storey roundhouse |
| No. of sails | Four sails |
| Type of sails | Spring sails |
| Windshaft | Cast iron |
| Winding | Tailpole |
| Auxiliary power | Portable steam engine |
| No. of pairs of millstones | Two pairs |
Mountnessing Windmill is a special type of windmill called a post mill. It is located in Mountnessing, Essex, England. This historic building is listed as a grade II* building, which means it's very important and protected. Built in 1807, the mill was brought back to working order in 1983.
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History of Mountnessing Mill
Mountnessing Windmill was built in 1807. It replaced an older mill that had been on this spot for a very long time. Records show that a windmill has stood here since 1477! The mill worked steadily until 1924. It even worked for a short time again in 1932 and 1933.
In 1937, the mill's ownership changed. It went from the Blencowe family to the Mountnessing Parish Council. The mill was then repaired to honor King George VI. This repair happened in the same year as his coronation.
Bringing the Mill Back to Life
The mill was carefully repaired and made to work again between 1979 and 1983. This big project involved many steps. Workers put on a completely new roof. They also rebuilt the back part, called the tail, of the mill.
New sails were added to the mill. The famous local historian Hervey Benham officially opened the restored mill on November 13, 1983. Inside, the machinery was rebuilt by Peter Stenning and Richard Seago. Thanks to their hard work, the mill is now in full working order.
How Mountnessing Windmill Works
Mountnessing Windmill is a post mill. This means its entire main body can turn to face the wind. It has a single-story, sixteen-sided building around its base called a roundhouse. The mill is turned into the wind using a long pole called a tailpole. It has four spring sails that catch the wind. Inside, there are two pairs of millstones that grind grain.
The Mill's Base: Trestle and Roundhouse
The mill's strong base, called the trestle, is made of oak wood. The main central post is made of elm wood. The large horizontal beams, called crosstrees, are about 22 feet (6.7 meters) long. They are about 13 inches (330 mm) by 10 inches (250 mm) thick. The bottom of the lower crosstree is about 5 feet 6 inches (1.68 meters) above the ground.
The main post is almost 19 feet (5.8 meters) long. It is about 29 inches (740 mm) square at its base. The diagonal supports, called quarterbars, are 13 inches (330 mm) by 10 inches (250 mm) thick. The mill was first built without a roundhouse, meaning its trestle was open. The roundhouse was added later.
The sixteen-sided roundhouse is made of brick. Its roof is covered with tarred felt. Before 1909, it had a thatched roof. This roof was replaced because it had many rats living in it!
The Mill's Body and Structure
The main body of the mill is just under 18 feet (5.5 meters) long and 11 feet (3.4 meters) wide. The large beam at the top, called the crowntree, is 22 inches (560 mm) square. It sits on a 10-inch (250 mm) wide pin that sticks up from the main post. The side beams, called side girts, are about 9 inches (230 mm) by 20 inches (510 mm) thick at the ends. They get thicker towards the middle.
Sails and Windshaft
When the mill was first built, it likely had a wooden windshaft and simple sails. Today, it has spring sails. The windshaft, which is the axle that the sails turn, is made of cast iron. This iron windshaft replaced an older wooden one. It was probably used before in another mill. There's also a spot on the windshaft for a tail wheel. This shows that the mill was originally designed with a specific layout for its machinery.
Inside the Mill: Machinery
The large wooden brake wheel inside the mill helps control the speed. It has 77 cogs (teeth) that are about 4 inches (100 mm) apart. This wheel turns a smaller wooden wheel, called a wallower, which has 21 cogs. A cast-iron spur wheel, which is about 3 feet 6 inches (1.07 meters) wide, has 66 cogs.
This spur wheel turns the two pairs of millstones. The millstones grind the grain from underneath. Each stone nut, which connects to the millstones, is 22 inches (560 mm) wide and has 32 cogs. In its later years, a portable steam engine helped the mill do its work. This engine was built by Wedlake & Dendy Ltd.
Millers of Mountnessing
Here are some of the people who worked as millers at Mountnessing Windmill:
- Robert Agnis (1807 - 1826)
- Joseph Agnis (1826 - unknown)
- Alfred Agnis (1863)
- Joseph Agnis (unknown - 1906)
- Robert Agnis (1908 - 1924)
- Emily Agnis (1932 - 1933)
Visiting Mountnessing Windmill
You can visit Mountnessing Windmill! It is open to the public on the third Sunday of each month. This is from May through October.
