Sibsey Trader Mill facts for kids
Trader Mill is a famous old windmill located in the village of Sibsey, which is in Lincolnshire, England. It was built a long time ago, in 1877, by a company called Saunderson from Louth. This mill was made in a special style common in Lincolnshire. Trader Mill is one of two windmills in the area that used to grind flour for the local community. The other one, Rhodes Mill, has since been turned into a house.
Trader Mill has been carefully restored and is now looked after by English Heritage, an organization that protects historic places. It is a very special building because it has six floors, all its original machinery, six large sails, and a working fantail. Because of its importance, it is recognized as a Grade I listed building.
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What Makes Trader Mill Special?
A Rare Six-Sailed Windmill
Trader Mill is quite unique because it is one of the very few windmills in England that still has six sails. Most windmills have four sails, so having six makes Trader Mill stand out.
How Tall Is It?
Even though it looks very tall, Trader Mill is actually not exceptionally high. It stands about 74 feet and 3 inches (which is about 22.6 meters) from the ground to the very top of its cap. However, the tower of the mill is quite slender, and the land around it is very flat. This combination makes the mill appear much larger than it really is. The slim tower also makes the six sails look enormous when you compare them to the rest of the building.
History of Trader Mill
When the Mill Was Working
Trader Mill was actively grinding flour for many years, all the way up until 1954. In its later years, it operated with only four sails instead of six. After 1954, the mill was not used and started to fall apart.
Restoration and Today's Use
Thankfully, Trader Mill has been fully restored and is now in excellent working condition again. Today, it continues its tradition of producing flour, making a variety of organic flours for people to enjoy.
Trader Mill in Pop Culture
Trader Mill has even appeared on television! It was featured in the CBeebies series Baby Jake. Filming for the show took place at the mill in the late summer of 2010.
