Stanford Windmill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Stanford Windmill |
|
|---|---|
| Origin | |
| Mill location | TR 128 378 |
| Coordinates | 51°6′1″N 1°2′17″E / 51.10028°N 1.03806°E |
| Year built | 1857 |
| Information | |
| Purpose | Corn mill |
| Type | Tower mill |
| Storeys | Five storeys |
| No. of sails | Four |
| Type of sails | Patent sails |
| Windshaft | Cast iron |
| Winding | Fantail |
| Fantail blades | Eight blades |
| Auxiliary power | Paraffin engine Oil engine 1936 - Electric motor - 1969 |
| No. of pairs of millstones | Four pairs |
The Stanford Windmill is a special old building called a tower mill in Stanford, Kent, England. It was built in 1857 and is considered a very important historical site. You can find it on Kennett Lane in Stanford.
Contents
History of Stanford Windmill
How the Mill Was Built
The Stanford mill was built in 1857 by a person named John Hill. He was a millwright, which is someone who designs and builds mills. John Hill came from Ashford.
Changes Over Time
During World War I, a bomb landed near the mill. This caused a crack in the mill's tower. After the war, a special engine that ran on paraffin (like kerosene) was added to help the mill work.
In 1936, this paraffin engine was replaced with a newer engine made by Ruston & Hornsby. The mill also got new sails several times, in 1925, 1930, and 1936.
When the Wind Stopped Working
The mill used wind power until 1946. After that year, the special parts called "shutters" were taken off the sails. In 1961, the sails and the top roof of the mill were removed. A new, simpler roof was put on the cap frame.
The mill kept grinding grain using its engine until 1969. The paraffin engine was replaced with an electric motor to keep it running. Some of the mill's parts were later used to help fix another old mill called Draper's Mill in Margate during the 1970s.
What the Mill Looks Like
Parts of the Tower Mill
The Stanford mill is a five-storey tower mill. This means it's a tall, round building with five levels inside. It used to have a special roof called a Kentish-type cap.
It had four large sails that were called "patent sails." These sails were attached to a strong cast-iron pole called a windshaft.
How it Worked
The mill used a fantail to turn the cap and sails into the wind. A fantail is like a small windmill on the back of the cap that automatically keeps the main sails facing the wind. There was also a platform, or "stage," on the first floor.
Inside, the mill had four pairs of millstones. These large stones were used to grind grain into flour. It also had two steel mills and two roller mills for different types of grinding.
Inside the Mill Machinery
The main wheel that helped the mill work was a mix of iron and wood. It had iron arms and a wooden rim. This wheel turned another part made of cast-iron called a wallower. The wallower then turned a large cast-iron wheel called the great spur wheel.
The millstones were powered from above, which is called "overdrift." This means the power came down from the machinery to turn the stones.
Millers Who Worked Here
- J Fox (1862)
- Thomas Rolfe (1878)
- Henry Taylor (1913–1929)
- G R Holt (1929–1946)
- H Beresford Lye (1946–1959)
- M Hancock & Son (1959–1969)
