Thelnetham Windmill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Thelnetham Windmill |
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The restored mill, photographed in 2006
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| Origin | |
| Mill name | Button's Mill |
| Mill location | TM 011 790 |
| Coordinates | 52°22′19″N 0°57′18″E / 52.37194°N 0.95500°E |
| Operator(s) | Thelnetham Mill Preservation Trust |
| Year built | 1819 |
| Information | |
| Purpose | Corn mill |
| Type | Tower mill |
| Storeys | Four storeys |
| No. of sails | Four sails |
| Type of sails | Double Patent sails |
| Windshaft | Cast iron |
| Winding | Fantail |
| Fantail blades | Eight blades |
| Auxiliary power | Originally a Portable steam engine, then an oil engine, now a Ruston & Hornsby diesel engine |
| No. of pairs of millstones | Two pairs driven by wind, plus one pair driven by engine |
| Size of millstones | 4 feet 4 inches (1.32 m) and 4 feet 7 inches (1.40 m) diameter. Engine driven stones 4 feet 6 inches (1.37 m) diameter. |
| Other information | Oldest surviving tower mill in Suffolk. |
Thelnetham Windmill, also known as Button's Mill, is a historic brick tower mill located in Thelnetham, Suffolk, England. It was built in 1819 to grind wheat into flour. This windmill used wind power until 1924, but then it became old and broken.
In 1979, a group of people who loved windmills bought it. Many volunteers worked hard for eight years to fix it up. Now, the mill works perfectly again! You can visit Thelnetham Windmill, and you can even buy flour that was ground right there.
This mill is a small, four-story tower mill. It has special "Patent sails" and a "fantail" that helps it turn into the wind. It can power two sets of millstones, and a third set can be run by a separate engine.
Contents
The Mill's Story
The very first windmill in Thelnetham was a "post mill" shown on a map from 1778. This old mill was moved to Diss, Norfolk, in 1818.
A new tower mill was built in its place in 1819 by George Bloomfield for William Button. It started working on Christmas Day that year. In 1832, the mill got some cool upgrades. It received a strong cast-iron windshaft, new Patent sails, and a fantail. These changes helped the mill work even better.
William Button passed away in 1837, and his family continued to run the mill for many years. Later, it was sold to Richard Peverett in 1862. Stephen Peverett, Richard's son, took over the mill.
In 1884, Henry Bryant bought the mill and rebuilt its floors. From 1892, a portable steam engine helped power an extra set of millstones. This was later replaced by an oil engine in 1914. Henry Bryant ran the mill until 1920.
The mill started to have problems in the 1920s. It was damaged by strong winds, and some of its sails had to be removed. By 1924, the mill stopped working by wind power completely. In 1926, another strong wind destroyed one of the last two sails.
After the owner, Alphonso Vincent, died in 1932, his son George lived at the mill site. The mill became very run down. In 1976, a big storm blew the top of the mill to pieces.
In November 1979, five members of the Suffolk Mills Group bought the mill. They wanted to bring it back to life! The broken mill and some land cost £6,000.
In 2013, the mill was given to the Suffolk Building Preservation Trust. On July 14, 2019, the windmill celebrated its 200th birthday! It was a big party. The mill was even used as a polling station for elections in 2019, which was a unique event!
Bringing the Mill Back to Life
The mill was fixed up over six years. Many people volunteered their time during "working holidays" to help repair it.
Starting the Work (1979–1980)
When the new owners took over in 1979, their first job was to protect the mill from the weather. They put plastic sheets inside to stop water from getting in. They also checked the mill carefully to see what needed fixing.
In 1980, a part of the floor collapsed, so it was removed for safety. A crane was used to take off the old windshaft (the main axle for the sails) and the top part of the mill. New floor beams were put in, and the top of the mill tower was repaired. Volunteers worked hard to clean and fix the brickwork and windows. They covered the mill with a large tarp for the winter to keep it safe.
More Repairs (1981)
In 1981, more volunteers helped. They removed the heavy millstones to fix the floor underneath. Some old wooden beams had to be replaced because of insect damage. The ground floor was made stronger with concrete.
The top part of the brick tower was rebuilt. They used special red bricks for the very top. The old windshaft and other metal parts were painted to protect them. A new wooden top piece, called a "finial," was made for the cap.
Building the Cap (1982–1983)
In 1982, the main goal was to build the mill's cap (the roof that holds the sails). The cap frame was built, using some parts from the original cap. A crane helped turn the cap frame over and put the windshaft into it.
In 1983, smaller parts were fixed, like the gears for the fantail. When the weather got better, work started outside. The cap's outer frame was built, and the fantail posts were put in place. The wooden ribs for the cap were fitted, and the finial was carefully put on top.
The cap was then covered with wooden boards. A new bearing was installed for the windshaft. The cap was painted with a special waterproof paint. On October 24, 1983, the 5-ton cap was lifted onto the mill by a crane! Many people watched this exciting moment.
Final Touches (1984)
In 1984, more work was done. Apprentices from a local electricity company helped lay an underground cable to bring electricity to the mill. This meant lights and power sockets on every floor! They also fixed the brickwork around the base and dug a drainage trench to keep the mill dry.
A powerful 21-horsepower diesel engine was installed on a concrete base. This engine could help grind flour when there wasn't enough wind.
One of the biggest jobs was making the new brake wheel and the fantail. The old brake wheel was too damaged. They decided to make a new one that was like the original but stronger.
The "stocks" (the main beams that hold the sails) and the four sails themselves were made. The stocks were made from layers of wood, which made them very strong. The sails were also carefully built.
Finally, the fantail and its gears were put on the mill. The cap could now be turned by hand. The large brake wheel was put around the windshaft. The four sails were then lifted into place by a crane. On the very last day of the work-in, the mill turned by wind again! It was a huge success.
Completion (1985–1987)
Work continued in 1985, including finishing the windows and painting the walls. Over the next two years, the restoration was completed in 1987.
The Restoration Team
The amazing restoration of Thelnetham Windmill happened thanks to 135 people and 61 groups. They gave their time, tools, materials, or money to help fix the mill.
How the Mill Works (Description)
The Thelnetham Windmill is a four-story brick tower. It stands about 31 feet (9.5 meters) tall from the ground to the top of the tower. The walls are 2 feet (60 cm) thick at the bottom!
The "pepperpot cap" sits on top of the tower, making the mill about 45 feet (13.7 meters) tall in total. Inside the cap, there's a strong cast-iron "windshaft" and a large wooden "brake wheel." Outside, the four "Patent sails" stretch 64 feet (19.5 meters) wide. They are 9 feet (2.7 meters) wide and can create a lot of power. The eight-bladed "fantail" on the back keeps the cap turned so the sails always face the wind.
- Dust Floor: This is the top floor. It was used to store grain and gives access to the cap. The "wallower" (a gear driven by the brake wheel) is at the top of the main "upright shaft" here.
- Bin Floor: This floor is where grain is stored before it's ground. The "sack hoist" (a machine to lift sacks) is also here, powered by a wheel below.
- Stone Floor: This is where the two pairs of "millstones" are. These stones grind the grain. One pair is 4 feet 4 inches (1.3 meters) wide, and the other is 4 feet 7 inches (1.4 meters) wide. The "crown wheel" is on this floor, which helps power the sack hoist. There's also an oat crusher and a flour dresser here.
- Ground Floor (Meal Floor): This is the bottom floor where the freshly ground flour comes out and is put into bags. The "great spur wheel" and "stone nuts" are on this floor. A third pair of millstones, 4 feet 6 inches (1.37 meters) wide, can be powered by the auxiliary engine.
Millers (People Who Ran the Mill)
- William Button 1819-37
- Rebecca Button 1837-??
- Richard Button 18??-60
- William Button 1860-62
- Richard Button (Jr) 1860-62
- Stephen Peverett 1862-79
- Henry Bryant 1879-1920
- Alphonso Vincent 1920-24
- George Vincent 1920-24
Videos and Media
A video about the mill's restoration was made by Viv Codd.
Visiting the Mill
Thelnetham Mill is open to the public on certain holidays and the first Sunday of July, August, and September. You can also arrange to visit at other times.
Images for kids
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The cake made to celebrate the bicentenary of Thelnetham Windmill.
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The derelict mill before restoration began
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The restored mill, May 1989
