Chesterton Windmill
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Chesterton Windmill is located in the village of Chesterton, Warwickshire.
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[edit] History
The Windmill is Chesterton's most famous landmark, standing on the hill, overlooking the village for nearly 350 years. It was built in 1632, probably by Sir Edward Peyto, who was Lord of the Manor. At this time John Stone, a pupil of Inigo Jones, was in Chesterton, designing the new Manor House, and he probably helped with the Windmill as well. Sir Edward was a mathematician and Astrologer, but although claims have been made that the tower was originally built as an observatory, the estate accounts now at Warwick Record Office show that it has always been a windmill, making it the earliest tower mill in England to retain any of its working parts.
[edit] Construction
It is built of hard local limestone, with sandstone detailing. The tower is supported on six semicircular arches, on piers, the outer faces of which are arcs of circles radiating from a common centre. A sandstone string course surmounts the six arches and runs round the Tower, below the windows. There are four windows in the Tower, two small and two much larger with stone mullioned windows. A small window set in the roof on the opposite side to the sails, has a small plaque above it with the letters E.P.1632.
[edit] Workings
There are two floors to the Mill, the lower 15 foot above ground level, housing stones, great spur wheel, and sack hoist, and the upper floor with windshaft, main gearing and winding equipment. The Space inside the Arches, until 1930, used to have a wooden structure to store the grain, and an open staircase to reach the mill. This structure was removed to prevent vandalism. The cap of the mill is a shallow dome which used to be covered with lead, but because of vandalism is now covered with aluminium. There is a wind direction inidicator on the roof which is continued into the interior, and a small repeat indicator at its lower end, so that the Miller could set the Mill without leaving his work.The sails are 60 feet span counter clock-wise rotation and with 450 sq ft of canvas. The arched Tower covers a very small diameter of 22 feet 9 ins and it has an unusual winding gear for an English Windmill, the Cap being wound by a hand operated winch having spur and worm gears.
[edit] Restoration
It seems the Mill has had three major reconstructions, one in 1776 when the Mill shaft was modified, and the date carved in the tail of the shaft, and one in 1860 when the old curb and cap framing was altered. By 1910 it had ceased to function as a Mill, and it was not until 1969 that reconstruction began again. The Windmill was finished in 1971, and reopened for a few days to the public each year (volunteers from nearby villages help run the open days and provide stewards for the event).
In 1975 it was awarded one of the Civic Trust Heritage Awards, and the Mill's status is reflected in the name of the nearby Leamington Football Club ground the New Windmill.
A stone tower similar to Chesterton Windmill exists in Newport, Rhode Island, U.S.A. The commonly accepted theory is that it was built by Benedict Arnold around 1676 after a previous wooden mill was blown down in 1675. It is not quite the same as Chesterton Windmill, having eight round pillars, but it was very similar. William Arnold, Benedict's father, was born in Leamington and they emigrated to Rhode Island in 1635 where Benedict became Governor in 1663. This has led to speculation that the Newport Tower was based on Chesterton Windmill. However, some historians, as well as amateur researchers, dispute this theory and have claimed that it is several centuries older, thus being evidence of a pre-Columbian settlement in New England.
[edit] Recent Events
In 2006 one of the sails fell off the windmill during an open day, injuring one visitor. As a result, all the sails are now removed.
