This mill was built in 1845 by the Arnold brothers of Paddock Wood. A tower mill, she comprised a five story brick built tower (with two foot thick walls), half tiled with Kentish peg tiles. The hood was a Kentish smock, painted white. This housed a patented four sweep sail and a large fan-tail.
The machinery drove three pairs of stones, an oats crusher and a sifter. The first owner was Catherine Ashby, a farmer followed by the Walter family, who lived in Mill House until after the World War II. A disastrous fire destroyed the smock and sails on 26th July 1911, although the mill continued to be used, powered by a gas engine. The smock was replaced by a castellated top. The conversion to a residence occurred in 1962, when the present large windows were inserted and the cedar weather boarding was installed covering the cement facing on the top two floors.
This mill now has its own website which describes how the owners plan to restore the cap and sails to their previous appearance, albeit non-working. This was the source for the historical information on this page. The website also contains several pictures of the mill prior to the fire and of the fire and its aftermath.
More information on wind and water mills may be found on the excellent Windmill World site.
Check out my other windmill photographs in my Windmill Album.
Digital photographs
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Photographs © Mark Collins 2006
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