- New Mill, Willesborough
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New Mill, Willesborough 
Willesborough Windmill in 2007Origin Mill location Willesborough, Ashford Grid reference TR 0313 4213 Operator(s) Kent County Council Year built 1869 Information Purpose Corn mill Type Smock mill Storeys Four storey smock Base storeys Two storey base Smock sides Eight sided Number of sails Four Type of sails Patent sails Windshaft Cast iron Winding Fantail Fantail blades Eight bladed Auxiliary power Oil engine Number of pairs of millstones Four pairs New Mill is a Grade II*[1] listed smock mill in Hythe Road, Willesborough, Ashford, Kent. It stands just west of junction 10 of the M20 motorway. It was built in 1869 and is now a museum open to the public.
Contents
History
New Mill was built in 1869 by John Hill, the Ashford millwright, replacing an earlier smock mill. The mill was worked by the Cornes family until the First World War, and by the Manwaring family from 1920[2] until 1938 when the mill last worked by wind. The mill was then sold to T Denne and Sons and used for storage. The fantail was sold to Barham mill in 1946 and installed on that mill. In 1969 the mill was bought by Tom Robbins[3] and remained in his ownership until it was bought, in a very dilapidated state, and fully restored in 1991 to its former glory by Ashford Borough Council for the benefit of the citizens of Ashford and the public at large.[4]
The mill makes its own stoneground wholemeal bread flour, turning one set of stones with the power of a 14 horsepower (10 kW) Hornsby engine. The mill, with its neighbouring barn, is licenced for Weddings, Christenings, (Civil ceremonies) and many other meetings and functions. The Mill complex is open from April to the end of September on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays from 2pm to 5pm. School and group visits can be arranged for weekdays.
In 2006 the mill was awarded a Heritage Lottery Grant which enabled the replacement of the sails. The new sails were fitted on 13 April 2007.[5] Part of the grant was spent on producing an Education pack for use on school visits. The windmill is now fully operational and able to mill flour using wind or the engine. The mill is licensed to hold wedding ceremonies.[6]
Norman Museum
Norman Cycles was a bicycle, autocycle, moped, and motorcycle manufacturer based in Ashford, and the mill's barn complex houses the Norman Museum, where they have some mopeds and bicycles on display. The Norman Cycles Club is based at the Windmill.[7]
Description
For an explanation of the various pieces of machinery, see Mill machinery.New Mill is a four storey smock mill on a two storey brick base with an attached miller's cottage. It has four patent sails carried on a cast iron windshaft. It drives four pairs of millstones by wind with a fifth pair powered by an auxiliary engine.[2] This was a steam engine until 1911, then an oil engine and latterly an electric motor. The Brake Wheel is of composite construction, with an iron centre and wooden rim. This drives a cast iron Wallower on the Upright Shaft, which carries a cast iron Great Spur Wheel which drives the millstones overdrift.[3]
Millers
Mill in 1982
- Cornes & Son 1869 - 1918
- Thomas Sellins 1869 - 1904
- John Cobb 1904 - 1940
- William Manwaring 1920 - 1938
- Cecil Coltham 1931- 1940
- T Denne & Sons 1938 - 1969
- Cecil Coltham 1957 - 1968
References for above:-[2][3][8]
See also
- Wikipedia books: Windmills in Kent
References
- ^ "Willesborough Windmill, Hythe Road (north east side), Willesborough, Ashford, Kent". English Heritage. http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/details/default.aspx?pid=2&id=179954. Retrieved 2008-04-21.
- ^ a b c Coles Finch, William (1933). Watermills and Windmills. London: C W Daniel Company. p. 302.
- ^ a b c West, Jenny (1973). The Windmills of Kent. London: Charles Skilton Ltd.. pp. 80–83. SBN 284-98534-1.
- ^ "Welcome to Willesborough Windmill". Willesborough Windmill. http://www.willesboroughwindmill.co.uk/. Retrieved 2008-04-21.
- ^ "Willesborough windmill new sails". Windmill World. http://www.windmillworld.com/news/archive25.htm#612. Retrieved 2008-04-21.
- ^ "Wedding venues in mills". Windmill World. http://www.windmillworld.com/news/archive24.htm#590. Retrieved 8 July 2009.
- ^ "Norman Cycles". Real Classic. http://www.realclassic.co.uk/norman03052800.html. Retrieved 2008-04-21.
- ^ "Directory of Kent Mill People". The Mills Archive Trust. http://www.millarchive.com/kent/millpeople/Kent%20Mill%20People.htm. Retrieved 2008-04-21.
External links
- Willesborough Windmill - official site
- Willesborough Windmill - on MyAshford.com
- Kent Attractions - Willesborough Windmill
- Windmill World page on the mill.
- Norman Cycles Club - operates the Norman Museum
Categories:- Windmills in Kent
- History of Ashford, Kent
- Smock mills
- Visitor attractions in Kent
- Grade II* listed buildings in Kent
- Buildings and structures completed in 1869
- Museums in Kent
- Mill museums in England
- Transport museums in England
- British motorcycle museums
- Cornes & Son 1869 - 1918
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