Old Buckenham Windmill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Old Buckenham Mill |
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Old Buckenham Windmill
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| Origin | |
| Mill location | Old Buckenham, Breckland, Norfolk |
| Coordinates | 52°28′40″N 1°02′07″E / 52.4778°N 1.0354°E |
| Year built | 1818 |
| Information | |
| Purpose | Flour mill |
| Type | Tower mill |
| Storeys | Five |
| No. of sails | Four |
| Type of sails | Patent-Shutter |
| Other information | |
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Listed Building – Grade II*
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| Designated | 21 July 1951 |
| Reference no. | 1342467 |
| Current Status | static |
| Website | http://www.banhamandthebucks.co.uk/windmill/ |
The Old Buckenham Windmill is a very special flour mill located in the village of Old Buckenham, in Norfolk, England. It is a Grade II* listed building, which means it's a really important historical building. This windmill is famous for having the largest base of any windmill in the country!
About Old Buckenham Windmill
This amazing windmill was built in 1818. It was used to grind grain into flour. The mill has five floors and its base is about 8 meters (26.5 feet) wide. That's wider than a school bus is long!
How the Mill Was Built
The top part of the windmill, called the cap, was shaped like a boat. It was huge, about 7.3 meters (24 feet) across. This big cap needed many wheels to help it turn and carry its weight.
When it was first built, the mill had eight simple sails. Later, these were changed to four "patent sails." These special sails could adjust themselves automatically to the wind. Inside, on the second floor, there were five pairs of "French stones." These were large grinding stones used to make flour. The mill stopped working in 1926, and the grinding stones were taken apart.
Who Owned the Mill?
The Old Buckenham Windmill had a few interesting owners over the years. It was first built for John Burlingham, who also ran another local mill.
Later, a famous person named Jeremiah James Colman owned it. He was known for making Colman's Mustard. After him, Prince Frederick Duleep Singh became the owner. He was a prince who lived nearby at Old Buckenham Hall in the late 1800s.
The Mill Today
Today, the Old Buckenham Windmill is owned by the Norfolk Windmills Trust. This group works to save and restore old windmills. They are currently working hard to bring the Old Buckenham Mill back to how it looked and worked originally.
If you want to see this historic windmill, it is usually open to visitors. You can visit on the second Sunday of each month, from May to September.
