Stansted Mountfitchet Windmill
Encyclopedia
Stansted Mountfitchet Windmill is a grade II* listed Tower mill
at Stansted Mountfitchet
, Essex
, England
which is also a Scheduled Ancient Monument. It has been restored and can turn by wind.
In 1847, it was reported that one pair of sails
required replacement. The old Common sails were replaced with a pair of Spring sails at a cost of £29 4s 0d by Thomas Seabrook, millwright
of Furneaux Pelham, Hertfordshire
. In March 1848, it was reported that one of the remaining Common sails had blown down, and the remaining sail was not fit for further work. A pair of “new Patent sails” was fitted at a cost of £12 5s 0d, with a new sail back costing a further £5 13s 4d. In November 1848 the mill was again working on two sails, and another pair of Patent sails were fitted at a cost of £23. Hicks demanded a reduction in rent from £60 to £45 per annum at midsummer 1850, which he was successful in obtaining.
Hicks left the mill in 1853, and recommended William Randall Dixon to be the next tenant. Dixon took the mill on a seven year lease at £45 in May that year. A bake office was built in February 1854 at Dixon’s request and the rent was increased to £55. An oak
stock was reported as cracked at about this time, and the mill was again reduced to two sails in September 1854 as a stock was defective. Dixon left the mill in 1856 and Edward Hicks again took the tenancy of the mill.
In 1860 Hicks asked for the mill to be modernised and a new steam mill to be built. The proposal for the steam mill was dropped, but a new windshaft was required and a fantail
was asked for in return for an increase in rent. The cap frame was also repaired, with a new weatherbeam fitted. A new cast iron windshaft was fitted by Seabrook at a cost of £25. Seabrook fitted a new fantail in that year at a cost of a further £25. Hicks left the mill in June 1861, and a local man by the name of Ervin took the mill at a reduced rent of £40. In 1862, millwright Fyson of Soham
remodelled the machinery, converting the mill from an underdrift mill to an overdrift mill at a cost of £58 13s 7d. The stage and round house were removed at this time. John Buck took the mill in 1863 an a rent of £20, and reported that various work done by Fyson was faulty. Rectification was carried out by Seabrook. The mill was sold to William White in January 1865 for £1,150.
By 1870, the mill had four double Patent sails which were over 7 feet (2.1 m) wide. A steam engine was assisting the sails by 1890. The mill last worked commercially in 1910. In 1930, the tower had to be strengthened with three iron bands and in 1934 the second Lord Blyth had the mill repaired and presented it to the parish. The mill served as a Scout hut
from the 1940s to 1963. It was scheduled as an Ancient Monument in 1952. The mill was opened to the public for the first time in 1964, with restoration work being done in 1966. In 1984-5, the mill was repaired by Millwrights International of Mapledurham
, Berkshire
at a cost of £14,000. The work enabled both the cap and sails to turn. In 2003, the mill was struck by lightning
during an open day. In 2005, it was reported that repairs costing £70,000 were needed. An appeal to local residents for support in raising money towards the repair of the mill was generally ignored, despite leafletting every house in Stansted Mountfitchet.
and elm
with 99 iron segment teeth. This drives a wooden wallower with 44 teeth carried on a wooden upright shaft. The clasp arm great spur wheel is 8 feet (2.44 m) diameter, with 140 cogs. It drives three pairs of overdrift millstones. The stone nuts having 28 teeth each.
As originally built, the mill had a wooden windshaft, and a stage, which was 24 feet (7.32 m) above ground level. The mill was built with four Common sails carried on a wooden windshaft. The cap was winded by hand. The mill was originally an underdrift mill, with the millstones a floor higher than they are now. A lean-to structure known as the roundhouse was attached to the mill below stage level.
References for above:-
Tower mill
A tower mill is a type of windmill which consists of a brick or stone tower, on top of which sits a roof or cap which can be turned to bring the sails into the wind....
at Stansted Mountfitchet
Stansted Mountfitchet
Stansted Mountfitchet is a village and civil parish in the county of Essex, England, near the Hertfordshire border, north of London. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 5,533. The village is served by Stansted Mountfitchet railway station....
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
which is also a Scheduled Ancient Monument. It has been restored and can turn by wind.
History
Stansted Mountfitchet Windmill was built in 1787 for Joseph Lindsell. Lindsell sold the mill in 1807 to Henry Chaplin, who mortgaged the mill to Robert Sworder in April 1808. Chaplin died in 1844 and the mill was offered for sale by auction on 22 December 1846 without a buyer being found.In 1847, it was reported that one pair of sails
Windmill sail
Windmills are powered by their sails. Sails are found in different designs, from primitive common sails to the advanced patent sails.-Jib sails:...
required replacement. The old Common sails were replaced with a pair of Spring sails at a cost of £29 4s 0d by Thomas Seabrook, millwright
Millwright
A millwright is a craftsman or tradesman engaged with the construction and maintenance of machinery.Early millwrights were specialist carpenters who erected machines used in agriculture, food processing and processing lumber and paper...
of Furneaux Pelham, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
. In March 1848, it was reported that one of the remaining Common sails had blown down, and the remaining sail was not fit for further work. A pair of “new Patent sails” was fitted at a cost of £12 5s 0d, with a new sail back costing a further £5 13s 4d. In November 1848 the mill was again working on two sails, and another pair of Patent sails were fitted at a cost of £23. Hicks demanded a reduction in rent from £60 to £45 per annum at midsummer 1850, which he was successful in obtaining.
Hicks left the mill in 1853, and recommended William Randall Dixon to be the next tenant. Dixon took the mill on a seven year lease at £45 in May that year. A bake office was built in February 1854 at Dixon’s request and the rent was increased to £55. An oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
stock was reported as cracked at about this time, and the mill was again reduced to two sails in September 1854 as a stock was defective. Dixon left the mill in 1856 and Edward Hicks again took the tenancy of the mill.
In 1860 Hicks asked for the mill to be modernised and a new steam mill to be built. The proposal for the steam mill was dropped, but a new windshaft was required and a fantail
Windmill fantail
A Fantail is a small windmill mounted at right angles to the sails, at the rear of the windmill, and which turns the cap automatically to bring it into the wind. The fantail was patented in 1745 by Edmund Lee, a blacksmith working at Brockmill Forge near Wigan, England, and perfected on mills...
was asked for in return for an increase in rent. The cap frame was also repaired, with a new weatherbeam fitted. A new cast iron windshaft was fitted by Seabrook at a cost of £25. Seabrook fitted a new fantail in that year at a cost of a further £25. Hicks left the mill in June 1861, and a local man by the name of Ervin took the mill at a reduced rent of £40. In 1862, millwright Fyson of Soham
Soham
Soham is a small town in the English county of Cambridgeshire. It lies just off the A142 between Ely and Newmarket . Its population is 9,102 , and it is within the district of East Cambridgeshire.-Archaeology:...
remodelled the machinery, converting the mill from an underdrift mill to an overdrift mill at a cost of £58 13s 7d. The stage and round house were removed at this time. John Buck took the mill in 1863 an a rent of £20, and reported that various work done by Fyson was faulty. Rectification was carried out by Seabrook. The mill was sold to William White in January 1865 for £1,150.
By 1870, the mill had four double Patent sails which were over 7 feet (2.1 m) wide. A steam engine was assisting the sails by 1890. The mill last worked commercially in 1910. In 1930, the tower had to be strengthened with three iron bands and in 1934 the second Lord Blyth had the mill repaired and presented it to the parish. The mill served as a Scout hut
Scouting
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical, mental and spiritual development, that they may play constructive roles in society....
from the 1940s to 1963. It was scheduled as an Ancient Monument in 1952. The mill was opened to the public for the first time in 1964, with restoration work being done in 1966. In 1984-5, the mill was repaired by Millwrights International of Mapledurham
Mapledurham
Mapledurham is a small village, civil parish and country estate beside the River Thames in Oxfordshire.It should not be confused with the Mapledurham electoral ward of the nearby Borough of Reading, which is a subdivision of that town's suburb of Caversham....
, Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
at a cost of £14,000. The work enabled both the cap and sails to turn. In 2003, the mill was struck by lightning
Lightning
Lightning is an atmospheric electrostatic discharge accompanied by thunder, which typically occurs during thunderstorms, and sometimes during volcanic eruptions or dust storms...
during an open day. In 2005, it was reported that repairs costing £70,000 were needed. An appeal to local residents for support in raising money towards the repair of the mill was generally ignored, despite leafletting every house in Stansted Mountfitchet.
Description
Stansted Mountfitchet Windmill is a five storey tower mill with a domed cap winded by an eight bladed fantail. The tower is 21 in 6 in (6.55 m) diameter at base, and 10 feet (3.05 m) diameter at curb level. The brickwork is only 27 inches (685.8 mm) thick at ground level, and generally only about 18 inches (457.2 mm) at higher levels. This has resulted in a weak tower which required strengthening with three iron bands. Height of the tower is 47 feet (14.33 m) from ground level to curb. the cap is 10 feet (3.05 m) from curb to roof hatch, giving the mill an overall height of 57 feet (17.37 m) The cast iron windshaft is in two parts, with a separate tail section. It carries four Single Patent sails (originally double Patents, later cut down), and a wooden 8 feet (2.44 m) diameter clasp arm brake wheel of oakOak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
and elm
Elm
Elms are deciduous and semi-deciduous trees comprising the genus Ulmus in the plant family Ulmaceae. The dozens of species are found in temperate and tropical-montane regions of North America and Eurasia, ranging southward into Indonesia. Elms are components of many kinds of natural forests...
with 99 iron segment teeth. This drives a wooden wallower with 44 teeth carried on a wooden upright shaft. The clasp arm great spur wheel is 8 feet (2.44 m) diameter, with 140 cogs. It drives three pairs of overdrift millstones. The stone nuts having 28 teeth each.
As originally built, the mill had a wooden windshaft, and a stage, which was 24 feet (7.32 m) above ground level. The mill was built with four Common sails carried on a wooden windshaft. The cap was winded by hand. The mill was originally an underdrift mill, with the millstones a floor higher than they are now. A lean-to structure known as the roundhouse was attached to the mill below stage level.
Millers
- Joseph Lindsell 1787
- Charles Smith 1830s
- Charles & Edward Hicks 1846–1853
- William Randall Dixon 1853–1856
- Edward Hicks 1856–1861
- Ervin 1861–1863
- John Buck 1863–1865
- Edward Hicks 1865–1867
- William White 1867 –
- Edward Hicks & Sons 1890
References for above:-
Public access
Stansted Mountfitchet Windmill is open on the first Sunday of each month from 1.30 - 5.30pm, and on other special days.External links
- Windmill World webpage on Stansted Mountfitchet Mill
- Stansted Mountfitchet Windmill website.