Windmills in the Channel Islands

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Channel Islands have had a number of windmills over the centuries. They were mostly corn mills, and about half of those built survive in one form or another.

Contents

[edit] Guernsey

[edit] Moulin Huet

Moulin Huet, Guernsey is a tower mill. It was derelict and capless by 1949 when photographed by Donald Muggeridge.[1]

[edit] L'Hyvreuse Windmill

The site of the L'Hyvreuse Windmill is now occupied by the Victoria Tower, built in 1848.[2]

[edit] Le Moulin des Monts

Le Moulin des Monts, St Sampson's, was destroyed by lightning in 1660. Its site is now occupied by the De Saumarez Memorial in Delancey Park.[3]

[edit] St Martin Windmill

The converted mill still stands in Steam Mill Lane, It houses a jewellery business.[4]

[edit] Vale Windmill

Vale Windmill is a fivestorey tower mill that was built in 1850.[5] Photographs show it to have had four shuttered sails . The cap was similar in shape to those found on Kent windmills and was winded by a fantail. The mill had a stage at first floor level.[6] It was converted into an artillery observation post by the Germans during the Second World War. This work entaild a three storey extension being built on the mill tower, making it 21 metres (68 ft 11 in) high overall.[5] The windmill featured on a 2p postage due stamp issued by the Guernsey post office in 1982.

[edit] Jersey

[edit] Bel Royal Windmill

Bel Royal windmill, Jersey was painted by Isabella Struthers in 1884. The owner in 1886 was a Mr Gosset, who lost the mill due to a Bank failure. The new owner demolished the mill and built a terrace of houses in its place.[4]

[edit] Elizabeth Castle Windmill

The existence of a windmill at Elizabeth Castle is indicated by the demolition of Windmill Rock, an outcrop in the unfortified Green. Between the construction of the Lower Ward (1636) and the construction of Fort Charles (1646-1647), the northern part of L'Islet was undeveloped militarily. In the centre of this Green stood a windmill on a rocky promontory. In 1646 it was decided to entrench the Green and quarry away the Windmill Rock. Construction of the Windmill Tower was started in 1651 on the site of the Windmill Rock. Buildings constructed in the early 19th century now cover the site. [7] The existence of this mill is disputed.[4]

[edit] Moulin de Grouville

The Moulin de Grouville or Moulin de Beauvoir is an early nineteenth century tower mill of five storeys. During World War Two it was converted into an artillery observation tower by the Germans. It is now a house conversion and is listed on the Jersey Register of Historic Buildings.[4]

[edit] St Jean Windmill

St Jean Windmill was standing in 1848.[4]

[edit] St Mary Windmill

St Mary Windmill was standing in 1848.[4]

[edit] St Ouen's Windmill

St Ouen's Windmill, or Moulin de la Campagne is a tower mill in Grantez, Saint Ouen, that was converted into an artillery observation post by the Germans during World War Two. It is listed on the Jersey Register of Historic Buildings.[4]

[edit] St Peter's Windmill

St Peter's Windmill is a tower mill that was in existence by 1848.[4] Photographs show it to have been a five storey tower mill with a domed cap carrying four patent sails and winded by a fantail. The mill did not have a stage. It was derelict for many years until converted into a pub in the 1950s.[8] It has been converted into a shop and restaurant. The sails are not an authentic reproduction of the originals.[4]

[edit] Moulin de Rozel

The Moulin de Rozel is a tower mill built in 1799. The mill was dismantled in 1916 and during World War Two it was converted into an artillery observation post. It is listed on the Jersey Register of Historic Buildings.[4]

St. Ouen's Windmill

St Peter's Windmill

Moulin de Rozel

Moulin de Grouville

[edit] Sark

Sark Windmill
Sark Windmill

[edit] Sark Windmill

Sark Windmill was built in 1571. It is a three storey tower mill with an ogee cap. During the early nineteenth century the mill was burned by Sark tenants protesting against the seigneurial system on Sark. The mill was rebuilt.[9] It was working by wind until 1917.[10] The mill had four double patent sails, and was winded by a fantail.[11] The mill is the second oldest in the British Isles,[12] it featured on the 1971 and 1977 2p coins issued by Guernsey.

[edit] Little Sark Windmill

Little Sark Windmill was a tower mill. The tower remains today, mostly covered in ivy.[13]

[edit] References

  1. ^ The Donald W. Muggeridge Collection of Mill Photographs - GUERNSEY. UNIVERSITY OF KENT AT CANTERBURY. Retrieved on 2008-05-02.
  2. ^ Victoria Tower. Islandlife.org. Retrieved on 2008-05-02.
  3. ^ De Saumarez Memorial. States of Guernsey. Retrieved on 2008-05-02.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Windmills of Guernsey. Windmill World. Retrieved on 2008-05-02.
  5. ^ a b The Vale Mill. BBC. Retrieved on 2008-05-02.
  6. ^ Guernsey - The Vale Mill - Le Moulin du Valle. cipostcards.co.nz. Retrieved on 2008-05-02.
  7. ^ Elizabeth Castle, Rybot, Jersey 1986 edition, ISBN 0901897159
  8. ^ The Windmill St. Peter. Planefacts. Retrieved on 2008-05-02.
  9. ^ SHORT HISTORY OF SARK. sarkinfo. Retrieved on 2008-05-02.
  10. ^ Sark Attractions. Islandlife. Retrieved on 2008-05-02.
  11. ^ Postcard 4548; The Mill, Sark; Judges Ltd., Hastings.
  12. ^ This is rush hour on Sark. Times Online. Retrieved on 2008-05-07.
  13. ^ Postcard titled "The Old Mill - Harvest Time - Little Sark", photograph by Bryan J Dolan

[edit] Books

Knocker, G S (1936). The Windmills of Jersey.