Webster's Mill, Framsden
Encyclopedia
Framsden Windmill is a Grade II* listed post mill
at Framsden
, Suffolk
, England
which is preserved. The mill was known as Webster’s Mill when it was a working mill.
. Smith had the mill raised by 18 feet (5.49 m) and modernised by John Whitmore and Son, millwright
s, of Wickham Market
. In 1843, the mill was bought by William Bond, who owned the mill until 1872 (and worked it for at least part of that time), when it was sold to Joseph Rivers. In 1879, the mill was sold to Edmund Webster, who had been listed as a miller at the mill in 1854, and later passed to his son Edmund Samuel Webster, who worked the mill until ca. 1936. In June 1966 a group of volunteers started to restore the mill. Two new Patent sails were fitted in 1969 and the fantail was replaced in 1972.
segments being made and fitted. The repaired sails were refitted in March and July. The striking gear was repaired, with the cross from Victoria Mill, Eye
replacing that broken when the sail fell. On 7 February 1970, the mill turned by wind again. A lightning conductor was fitted and the Brake Wheel was re-cogged with hornbeam
. The Brake Wheel originally had 61 cogs, and was refitted with 78 cogs when the mill was modernised. In 1971, work was done to get the left-hand pair of millstones into working order and repair the fantail carriage. In May 1972, the mill ground wheat for the first time in preservation. The rear steps were repaired and the fantail carriage fitted in 1973.
post mill with Common sails
and winded by a tailpole. The two pairs of millstones were arranged Head and Tail, each driven by a compass arm wheel. A roundhouse was added in 1836 and a fantail
was added. At this time, the wooden windshaft was replaced by a cast iron one and Patent sails were added. The compass-arm Brake Wheel was converted to clasp-arm construction. The mill drives two pairs of French Burr millstone
s in the breast of the mill, the left hand pair are 4 feet (1.22 m) diameter and the right hand pair are 4 in 6 in (1.37 m) diameter. Unusually, the Upright Shaft is offset. The millstones are geared at 7.8:1. The rear of the mill has been extended to accommodate a flour dresser. The Patent sails have a weather of 25˚ at the heel and 5˚ at the tip. The frame of the mill was built of oak
, with pitch pine
being introduced for the Sprattle Beam and Tail beam when the mill was modernised. The mill is 48 feet (14.63 m) to the roof, making it the second tallest post mill in Suffolk. The sails were 7 in 6 in (2.29 m) wide with a span of 64 feet (19.51 m).
Reference for above.
Post mill
The post mill is the earliest type of European windmill. The defining feature is that the whole body of the mill that houses the machinery is mounted on a single vertical post, around which it can be turned to bring the sails into the wind. The earliest post mills in England are thought to have...
at Framsden
Framsden
Framsden village is north of Ipswich and south of the small market town of Debenham, Suffolk.The B1077 runs through the west of the Parish and the A1120 cuts across the north of the Parish....
, Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
, 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 preserved. The mill was known as Webster’s Mill when it was a working mill.
History
Framsden Windmill was built in 1760 for John Flick. In 1836, the mill was bought by John Smith, a brickmaker from St Osyth, EssexEssex
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...
. Smith had the mill raised by 18 feet (5.49 m) and modernised by John Whitmore and Son, 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...
s, of Wickham Market
Wickham Market
Wickham Market is a large village situated in the River Deben valley of Suffolk, England, within the Suffolk Coastal heritage area.It is on the A12 trunk road thirteen miles north-east of the county town of Ipswich, five miles north-east of Woodbridge. Its railway station is located approximately...
. In 1843, the mill was bought by William Bond, who owned the mill until 1872 (and worked it for at least part of that time), when it was sold to Joseph Rivers. In 1879, the mill was sold to Edmund Webster, who had been listed as a miller at the mill in 1854, and later passed to his son Edmund Samuel Webster, who worked the mill until ca. 1936. In June 1966 a group of volunteers started to restore the mill. Two new Patent sails were fitted in 1969 and the fantail was replaced in 1972.
Restoration
Restoration of Framsden Windmill commenced in June 1966. A stock had broken and half a sail had fallen shortly before, so the remaining half sail and its partner were removed, along with the stock. The roof was made watertight and the left side bottom side rail was strengthened. This work was carried out by Frank Farrow, Stanley Freese, Christopher Hullcoop, Vincent Pargeter and Peter Stenning. In 1967, the main post was strengthened with iron bars and steel hoops as it was badly split. The mill was at that time head-sick, and leant to the right. This was attended to, and the mill put back on an even keel. The right hand side girt was found to have broken at the joint with the crown tree. It was reinforced with a heavy angle iron bolted on top. In 1968, the two remaining sails were lowered for repair and the stock was reinforced by fitting a pair of clamps. In 1969, the Brake Wheel was repaired, with two new elmElm
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...
segments being made and fitted. The repaired sails were refitted in March and July. The striking gear was repaired, with the cross from Victoria Mill, Eye
Eye, Suffolk
Eye is a small market town in the county of Suffolk, East Anglia, England, south of Diss, and on the River Dove.Eye is twinned with the town of Pouzauges in the Vendée Departement of France.-History:An island...
replacing that broken when the sail fell. On 7 February 1970, the mill turned by wind again. A lightning conductor was fitted and the Brake Wheel was re-cogged with hornbeam
Hornbeam
Hornbeams are relatively small hardwood trees in the genus Carpinus . Though some botanists grouped them with the hazels and hop-hornbeams in a segregate family, Corylaceae, modern botanists place the hornbeams in the birch subfamily Coryloideae...
. The Brake Wheel originally had 61 cogs, and was refitted with 78 cogs when the mill was modernised. In 1971, work was done to get the left-hand pair of millstones into working order and repair the fantail carriage. In May 1972, the mill ground wheat for the first time in preservation. The rear steps were repaired and the fantail carriage fitted in 1973.
Description
Framsden Windmill was built as an open trestleTrestle (mill)
The Trestle of a Post mill is the arrangement of the Main post, crosstrees and quarterbars that form the substructure of this type of windmill. It may or may not be surrounded by a roundhouse...
post mill with Common 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:...
and winded by a tailpole. The two pairs of millstones were arranged Head and Tail, each driven by a compass arm wheel. A roundhouse was added in 1836 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 added. At this time, the wooden windshaft was replaced by a cast iron one and Patent sails were added. The compass-arm Brake Wheel was converted to clasp-arm construction. The mill drives two pairs of French Burr millstone
Millstone
Millstones or mill stones are used in windmills and watermills, including tide mills, for grinding wheat or other grains.The type of stone most suitable for making millstones is a siliceous rock called burrstone , an open-textured, porous but tough, fine-grained sandstone, or a silicified,...
s in the breast of the mill, the left hand pair are 4 feet (1.22 m) diameter and the right hand pair are 4 in 6 in (1.37 m) diameter. Unusually, the Upright Shaft is offset. The millstones are geared at 7.8:1. The rear of the mill has been extended to accommodate a flour dresser. The Patent sails have a weather of 25˚ at the heel and 5˚ at the tip. The frame of the mill was built of 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...
, with pitch pine
Pitch Pine
The Pitch Pine, Pinus rigida, is a small-to-medium sized pine, native to eastern North America. This species occasionally hybridizes with other pine species such as Loblolly Pine , Shortleaf Pine , and Pond Pine The Pitch Pine, Pinus rigida, is a small-to-medium sized (6-30 meters or 20-100 feet)...
being introduced for the Sprattle Beam and Tail beam when the mill was modernised. The mill is 48 feet (14.63 m) to the roof, making it the second tallest post mill in Suffolk. The sails were 7 in 6 in (2.29 m) wide with a span of 64 feet (19.51 m).
Millers
- John Flick 1760–
- John Smith 1836–43
- William Bond 1843–72
- Joseph Rivers 1872–79
- Edmund Webster 1879–
- Edmund Samuel Webster — 1936
Reference for above.
External links
- Windmill World webpage on Framsden mill.