Oldland Mill, Keymer
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Oldland Mill is an 18th century post mill situated in the village of Keymer, West Sussex.
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[edit] History
Oldland Mill was built c.1700, the earliest record of a windmill in the area dates from 1703. The mill was originally an open trestle mill, the roundhouse being added at a later date.[1] Records show a mill stood in Keymer in 1755 and the mill was marked on a map dated 1783, but not shown on one dated 1795. The 1801 National Defence Schedule records the mill but the 1813 Ordnance Survey and Greenwood's 1829 map omit the mill. Records show that the mill was standing in 1828. Oldland Mill was working by wind until 1912. The mill began to fall into disrepair in the early part of the 20th century and continued to deteriorate.
The Sussex Archaeological Society acquired the mill in 1927 and repairs were carried out by E Hole and Sons of Burgess Hill in 1934.[2] In 1976, at the Annual General Meeting of the Hassocks Amenity Association, there was a talk was given on the work of Weald and Downland Open Air Museum. The question of how to preserve Oldland Mill was raised. The mill was then in the ownership of the Sussex Archaeological Society. The mill was surveyed in 1977 by millwrights Vincent Pargeter and Edwin Hole and found to be close to collapse. Following negotiations with the Sussex Archaeological Society in 1979 the Hassocks Amenity Association leased the mill in 1980 and began a period of volunteer led restoration.[1]
Since then the mill has benefited from a DEFRA grant and substantial work has been completed. The mill was stripped to her bare essentials and many new parts completely and accurately built from scratch to replace rotten parts. The whole mill has been reclad and as of 18 October 2007 the four sails have been lifted into position. It is expected that the mill will grind its first batch of corn sometime in 2008. Today the mill is looked after by The Oldland Mill Trust, a registered charity.
[edit] Restoration
The first working party on 2 August 1980 cleared rubbish around the mill and made a temporary repair to the roof of the roundhouse. In 1981, the two remaining sails and stock were removed with the assistance of sailors from HMS Daedalus. In 1983, an "A" frame was constructed to support the windshaft. The mill was restored over the next ten years, with much of the framing being replaced, including the trestle, crown tree, breast tail and side frames.[1] A new 8-foot-8-inch (2.64 m) diameter clasp arm head wheel and brake was constructed in 2006. The head wheel is of elm with hornbeam cogs and oak arms.[3]
[edit] Description
Oldland Mill is a post mill on a single storey octagonal roundhouse. It has four spring sails and is winded by a tailpole. The windshaft is cast iron and was cast by Boaz Medhurst, the Lewes millwright in 1873. There are two pairs of millstones, arranged head and tail.[2]
[edit] Millers
- Josh Beard 1828
- Joseph Winchester 1839 - 1854
- William Winchester 1839 - 1854
- J Turner - 1899
- John White 1899 - 1904
- David Driver 1904 - 1912
Reference for above:-[2]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c The history of Oldland Windmill. Oldland Mill Trust. Retrieved on 2008-05-06.
- ^ a b c Brunnarius, Martin (1979). The Windmills of Sussex. Chichester: Philimore, p48-50, 189. ISBN 0 85033 345 8.
- ^ Making the Brakewheel. Oldland Mill Trust. Retrieved on 2008-05-06.
[edit] Further reading
Hemming, Peter (1936). The Windmills in Sussex. London: C W Daniel. Online version
[edit] External links
- Oldland Mill website
- Windmill World page on Oldland mill.
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