Union Mill, Cranbrook facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Union Mill, Cranbrook |
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The mill with traditional sails restored
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| Origin | |
| Mill location | The Hill, Cranbrook, Kent |
| Grid reference | TQ779359 |
| Coordinates | 51°5′42.7″N 0°32′21.5″E / 51.095194°N 0.539306°E |
| Operator(s) | Kent County Council |
| Year built | 1814 |
| Information | |
| Purpose | Corn mill |
| Type | Smock mill |
| Storeys | Three-storey smock |
| Base storeys | Four-storey base |
| Smock sides | Eight-sided |
| No. of sails | Four |
| Type of sails | Double Patent sails |
| Windshaft | cast iron |
| Winding | fantail |
| Fantail blades | Eight |
| Auxiliary power | Steam 1863 - 1919 Gas engine 1919 - 1954 Electric motor since 1954 |
| No. of pairs of millstones | Three pairs |
| Size of millstones | 4 feet (1.22 m), 4 feet 4 inches (1.32 m) and 4 feet 6 inches (1.37 m) diameter. |
| Other information | The tallest smock mill in the United Kingdom. |
Union Mill is a very special windmill located in Cranbrook, Kent, England. It is known as a smock mill and has been carefully brought back to working order. This amazing building is the tallest smock mill in the entire United Kingdom. It is also a Grade I listed building, which means it is very important and protected.
Contents
Union Mill's Story: How It Began
Union Mill was built in 1814 by a local millwright named James Humphrey. A millwright is someone who designs and builds mills. He built it for Mary Dobell, and her son Henry was the first person to operate it.
A few years later, in 1819, Mary Dobell had money problems. A group of people she owed money to, called her creditors, took over the mill. This is how the mill got its name, "Union Mill."
New Owners and Restoration
In 1832, the mill was sold to John and George Russell. The Russell family owned and ran the mill for five generations! That's a very long time. In 1957, the last miller from the Russell family retired. Kent County Council then bought the mill to make sure it was preserved.
Work to restore the mill began on June 18, 1958. It was finished in 1960 and cost about £6,000. A special event was held to officially reopen the mill.
Storms and Special Repairs
In 1994, a part of the mill called the fantail was blown off during a storm. The fantail helps the mill turn to face the wind. When it fell, it damaged the sails and even landed on a parked car!
In November 2010, the mill got a fresh coat of paint. A team from WallWalkers did the job. Instead of using scaffolding all around the tall mill, they used abseiling ropes to climb down and paint it. This was a very clever way to reach all parts of the mill.
How Union Mill Is Built
Union Mill is a very tall building, standing seven storeys high. It has a three-storey "smock" part on top of a four-storey brick base. The base includes a basement, ground floor, first floor, and second floor.
When it was built in 1814, it cost £3,500. The very top of the mill, where the cap roof is, reaches about 72 feet (22 meters) high.
Changes Over Time
Originally, the mill had simple "Common sails" and a wooden shaft that held them. In 1840, a millwright named Samuel Medhurst installed a stronger cast-iron shaft. He also added "patent sails," which are more advanced and can adjust themselves to the wind. These sails stretch about 68 feet (21 meters) wide. The wooden parts inside the mill were also replaced with cast iron at this time.
A few years later, George Warren, another millwright, added the fantail. This gave the mill the look it has today. In 1863, a 10 horsepower steam engine was added to help power the mill. It also got an extra pair of millstones from another mill.
Modern Power and Updates
In 1880, the wide wooden platform around the mill was replaced with a narrower iron one. This was because the new patent sails didn't need the wide platform anymore.
Over the years, the mill's power source changed several times. The first steam engine was replaced in 1890. Then, a different steam engine was used. In 1919, a gas engine took over. The mill even got second-hand sails from other windmills in 1920.
By the early 1930s, the mill stopped grinding grain for a while, but it started again later. In 1954, the gas engine was replaced by an electric motor, which is still used today.
The Millers of Union Mill
Many people have worked as millers at Union Mill over the years. Here are some of them:
- Henry Dobell (1814-1819)
- John Russell (1832–1873)
- Ebenezer Russell (from 1875)
- Hugh Russell
- Caleb Russell (1902-1918)
- John Russell (1918-1957)
- Henry Hicks (from 1960)
John Russell, who was a miller from 1918 to 1957, was very dedicated. In 1935, he received the very first award from the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB). He got it for his "zeal in the maintenance" of his mill, meaning he worked very hard to keep it in good condition.
How the Mill Works: Machinery
Union Mill uses its four patent sails to catch the wind. These sails are held by strong wooden beams called stocks. When the mill was restored in the 1950s, a Dutch millwright made these stocks.
The stocks go through a part called the canister, which is on the cast-iron windshaft. The windshaft is a large axle that turns when the sails spin. This windshaft also holds the brake wheel.
The brake wheel is a big gear that turns another gear called the wallower. The wallower is at the top of the upright shaft, which goes down through the mill. The upright shaft also powers a sack hoist, which lifts heavy bags of grain.
At the bottom of the upright shaft is the great spur wheel. This large gear used to drive three pairs of millstones, but now only two remain. These millstones grind the grain into flour. The mill also has a crown wheel that powered other smaller machines.
