Wrawby Windmill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wrawby Windmill |
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Wrawby Windmill, March 2014
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| Origin | |
| Coordinates | 53°33′55″N 0°27′08″W / 53.56528°N 0.45222°W |
| Year built | Late 18th century |
| Information | |
| Purpose | Corn mill |
| Type | Midlands post mill |
| Roundhouse storeys | Single storey roundhouse |
| No. of sails | Four |
| Type of sails | Two Common sails, two Spring sails (previously four Spring sails) |
| Winding | Tailpole |
The Wrawby Postmill is a special type of windmill located near Brigg in North Lincolnshire, England. It is a very important historical building. This mill is the last working post mill in the entire north of England.
Contents
Wrawby Windmill: A Historic Landmark
Wrawby Windmill is a famous landmark in North Lincolnshire. It was built a long time ago, between 1760 and 1790. This means it's over 230 years old! The mill was originally built to help the nearby Elsham Hall estate. Its main job was to grind corn into flour.
What is a Post Mill?
A post mill is a very old type of windmill. In these mills, the entire body of the mill, which holds all the machinery, can turn around a large central post. This allows the mill to face the wind from any direction. This design was very clever for its time. Wrawby Windmill is a specific kind called a Midlands post mill.
The Mill's Story: From Work to Restoration
When it was first built, Wrawby Windmill had four common sails. These are simple sails that catch the wind. Later, it was changed to have two common sails and two spring sails. Spring sails are more flexible and can adjust better to different wind strengths. This made the mill more efficient.
The mill worked hard for many years, grinding corn until the 1940s. At that time, it had four spring sails. After the 1940s, the mill stopped working and became derelict. This means it was left alone and started to fall apart.
In 1962, there was a chance the mill might be torn down. Luckily, the Wrawby Windmill Preservation Society stepped in. They bought the mill and started to restore it. Restoration means carefully repairing and rebuilding something old to its original condition.
Thanks to their hard work, the mill was working again by 1965. It got new sails and new grinding stones. In 2008, more maintenance work was done. This work was paid for by the SPAB Mill Repairs Fund and local people. It helped return the mill to its mixed sail types (two common and two spring sails).
Visiting the Windmill Today
Today, Wrawby Windmill is the last working post mill in Northern England. It is open for people to visit. You can go inside and see how a traditional windmill works. The mill also has a small museum. This museum shows old tools that were used for milling. Sometimes, they even have demonstrations where you can see the mill grinding grain!
The windmill is considered a very important historical building. In 1951, it was given a special status called Grade II* listed. This means it's a building of more than special interest and is protected.
