Cley Windmill
Cley Windmill | |
---|---|
Corn mill | |
Type | Tower mill |
Storeys | Five storeys |
No. of sails | Four sails |
Type of sails | Double Patent sails |
Windshaft | Cast iron |
Winding | Fantail |
Fantail blades | Eight blades |
No. of pairs of millstones | Three pairs |
Cley Windmill is a Grade II* listed[1] tower mill at Cley next the Sea, Norfolk, England which has been converted to residential accommodation.
History
Cley Windmill was built in the early 19th century. It was not marked on William Faden's map of Norfolk published in 1797. The first mention was an advert in the Norfolk Chronicle of 26 June 1819, where the mill was for sale, described as "newly erected" and in the ownership of the Farthing family. The mill was not sold and remained the property of the Farthing family, until 1875, when Dorothy Farthing, the then owner, died. The mill was bought by the miller, Stephen Barnabas Burroughes. It was worked by the Burroughes family until c. 1912, when the business was transferred to their windmill at Holt.[2]
In 1921, the windmill was sold by the Burroughes brothers to Mrs Sarah Maria Wilson for the sum of £350 and she had the mill converted to a holiday home.[2] The architect responsible for the conversion was Cecil Upcher.[3] The machinery was removed, with the gear wheels being cut in half and used as decoration within the mill.[4]
The mill was inherited by
Lt Col Blount died on 1 February 1979 and the mill was inherited by his youngest son, Colonel Charles Blount,
In 1986-87, the cap gallery, sails and fantail were renewed. Grants totalling £19,000 were given by English Heritage and Norfolk County Council towards an estimated cost of £45,000. The work was done by millwrights John Lawn and John Bond.[3]
In December 2006 the windmill was put up for sale for the sum of £1,500,000,[6] and was bought by Julian and Carolyn Godlee. The Godlees embarked on widescale restoration works to the mill and outbuildings. Works included replacing the balcony in hardwood and converting the old cart shed to an office with accommodation. In 2014 the sails, fan-tail and oak fan-stage were replaced using the firm Bunting and Son.
The landmark was again for sale in 2019, believed to be in the region of £3m. It was bought in 2021 by Natalie and Varian Bush.[7]
Description
Cley Windmill is a five storey tower mill with a stage at second floor level, twenty feet above ground. It has a dome shaped cap with a gallery which was winded by an eight-bladed fantail, ten feet six inches in diameter. The cap is now fixed and unable to turn to wind. There are four double Patent sails with a span of 70 ft, carried on stocks 56 feet (17.07 m) long. The inner pair have eight bays of three shutters and the outer pair have nine bays of two shutters and one of three shutters. In 1819 the sails powered two pairs of French burr millstones, a flour mill and jumper but by 1876 this had been increased to three pairs of stones and a smut machine had been added.[2]
Millers
- John Farthing (1819-22)
- John Lee (1822-48)
- William Edward Powell (1848-50)
- Lawrence Randall (1853-72)
- Stephen Barnabas Burroughes (1875-1900)
- Burroughes Bros (1900-12)
Reference for above:[2]
Public access
Cley Windmill is open to the public as a guesthouse on a bed and breakfast basis.
Culture and media
This section needs additional citations for verification. (July 2009) |
Cley Windmill has become one of the enduring icons of
Cley Windmill is licensed to hold wedding ceremonies.[8]
References
- ^ Historic England. "Windmill, The Quay, Cley next the Sea, Norfolk (1049823)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 8 July 2009.
- ^ ISBN 0-9509793-0-9.
- ^ a b c d "Cley towermill". Norfolk Mills. Retrieved 8 July 2009.
- ^ Hopkins, R Thurston (1934). Old Watermills and Windmills. London: Philip Allan & Co Ltd. p. 60.
- ISBN 0-7091-5641-3.
- ^ Eastern Daily Press, December 19, 2006
- ^ Culot, Caroline (7 June 2021). "Couple buy famous landmark £3m windmill". Eastern Daily Press. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
- ^ "Wedding venues in mills". Windmill World. Archived from the original on 14 May 2008. Retrieved 8 July 2009.
External links
- Cley mill website
- Windmill World webpage on Cley Mill