Shirley Windmill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Shirley Windmill |
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Shirley Windmill
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| Origin | |
| Mill name | Shirley Windmill |
| Mill location | Shirley, Croydon |
| Grid reference | TQ 355 652 |
| Coordinates | 51°22′12″N 0°03′18″W / 51.370°N 0.055°W |
| Operator(s) | Friends of Shirley Windmill |
| Year built | 1854 |
| Information | |
| Purpose | Corn mill |
| Type | Tower mill |
| Storeys | Five storeys |
| No. of sails | Four sails |
| Type of sails | Patent sails |
| Windshaft | cast iron |
| Winding | Fantail |
| Fantail blades | Eight blades |
| Auxiliary power | Engine |
| No. of pairs of millstones | Two pairs |
The Shirley Windmill is a fantastic old building in Shirley, part of Croydon, England. It's a special type of building called a tower mill. This windmill is so important that it's a "Grade II listed building," which means it's protected because of its history and beauty. Today, it has been carefully fixed up and can even work again!
Contents
The Story of Shirley Windmill
Shirley Windmill has a long and interesting past, full of changes and challenges. It was built to help local farmers grind their corn into flour.
Building the Windmill: 1854
The Shirley Windmill you see today was built in 1854. A man named Richard Alwen had it constructed. It replaced an older windmill, called a post mill, which had burned down. That first mill was built in 1809 by Richard Alwen's father.
Some people think parts of the new tower mill might have come from an even older windmill. There's a date "1740" on one of its beams. This suggests some materials were reused from another place, perhaps from a mill in Stratford or West Ham. Building the new mill was quite expensive, costing about £2,000 back then!
Challenges and Changes: Late 1800s to Early 1900s
After Richard Alwen passed away in 1884, his grandson, Thomas Dives, took over the mill. However, by 1892, another owner, Alfred Rayson, stopped using it for grinding flour. It was only used to grind food for animals, and it wasn't making enough money.
The windmill faced some tough times. In 1899, and again in 1906, lightning struck the mill! The second time, one of its big sails caught fire. Luckily, the local firefighters arrived quickly and saved the windmill.
Restoration and Protection
Over the years, the windmill needed repairs. In 1927, it was fixed up. Then, in 1935, a strong wind blew off one of its sails! More repairs were done, and new sails were put on.
In 1951, Shirley Windmill was officially made a "listed building." This meant it was protected because of its historical importance. It was probably the very last large windmill built in the area known as Surrey.
A few years later, in 1952, the local council, Croydon Corporation, bought the mill and its land. There was a plan to build a new school, John Ruskin School, nearby. Some worried the windmill might be knocked down. But because it was a listed building and many people cared about it, it was saved!
Fun and Funding
In 1971, some students from the nearby school played an April Fool's Day joke. They put an advertisement in The Times newspaper saying the windmill was for sale! The headmaster received four phone calls from people who believed the prank.
Years later, in 1996, good news arrived! The London Borough of Croydon received a grant of £218,100 from the Heritage Lottery Fund. This money was to help turn the windmill into a museum, so more people could learn about its history. In 2004, the council also agreed to pay for more repairs to the outside of the mill.
Modern Day Challenges
Even in recent times, the windmill has faced small challenges. In 2008, it was reported that rose-ringed parakeets, a type of bird, were damaging the sails! These birds had also caused damage to a nearby church spire. The sails were repaired, costing £45,000. All the restoration work was finished by May 2010.
What Shirley Windmill Looks Like
Shirley Windmill is a tall, impressive building. It's a tower mill, which means its main structure is a strong, round tower made of brick.
Key Features of the Mill
The windmill has five floors inside its brick tower. It stands about 55 feet (16.7 meters) tall to the very top of its cap. The base of the tower is about 21 feet (6.4 meters) wide, and it gets narrower towards the top, where it's about 11 feet (3.3 meters) wide.
On top of the tower is a special roof called a "Kentish-style cap." This cap holds the big sails. The mill has four large "Patent sails." These sails are designed to adjust themselves automatically to catch the wind.
How the Windmill Works
The cap of the windmill can turn to face the wind. This turning is done by a "fantail," which is a small set of blades at the back of the cap. The fantail spins in the wind and slowly moves the cap around.
Inside the cap, there's a strong cast-iron shaft called the "windshaft." This shaft is connected to the sails. When the wind pushes the sails, the windshaft spins.
The windshaft is connected to a very large iron gear wheel, called the "Brake Wheel." This wheel is over 9 feet (2.8 meters) wide! It has 172 teeth that connect to another gear called the "Wallower."
The Wallower then turns a long, upright shaft that goes down through the mill. This shaft is about 25 feet (7.6 meters) long. It has a special "dog clutch" that can disconnect it. This allows the mill to be powered by an engine if there's no wind, without the sails needing to turn.
At the bottom of the upright shaft, there's another large gear called the "Great Spur Wheel." This wheel has wooden teeth and used to turn two pairs of millstones. These millstones would grind the corn into flour.
Who Ran the Mill?
Here are some of the people who operated Shirley Windmill over the years:
- Richard Alwen Sr (1809–1846) - He ran the original post mill.
- Richard Alwen Jr (1846–1884) - He ran both the post mill and then the tower mill.
- Thomas Dives (1884–)
- Alfred Rayson (–1892)
Visiting Shirley Windmill
You can visit Shirley Windmill and learn more about its history! The windmill is usually open to the public on the first Sunday of each month. This is from June to October, between 1 pm and 5 pm. The "Friends of Shirley Windmill" group organizes tours.
The mill also opens on special days like Heritage Day and National Mills Day. If you want to visit on a weekday, you can often arrange a tour in advance.
Images for kids
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Shirley Windmill
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The mill around 1910
