New Mill, Cross in Hand
Encyclopedia
New Mill is a Grade II listed post mill at Cross in Hand
near Heathfield
, East Sussex
, England
. It was the last windmill
working commercially by wind in Sussex, ceasing work by wind in 1969 when a stock
broke.
millwright
. In 1868, it was moved again to its current position, joining another windmill which became known as the Old Mill. Medhurst was also responsible for this move. The mill was working until 1969, when a stock broke. Milling continued by auxiliary power in an adjoining building until 1971. The mill is currently under restoration.
windshaft and was winded by a tailpole-mounted fantail
. When originally built, the fantail was roof-mounted, in a similar manner to that still to be seen at Hogg Hill, Icklesham
. Medhurst fitted a five-bladed fantail, which was replaced in 1907 by an eight-bladed fantail of 11 feet (3.35 m) diameter by Neve of Heathfield
. The mill originally drove two pairs of millstone
s, driven by a 9 in 8 in (2.95 m) diameter head wheel and 8 in 4 in (2.54 m) diameter tail wheel. Later, another pair was added to the breast, driven by a spur gear arrangement, the spur wheel being 4 feet (1.22 m) diameter. One pair of stones in the breast was removed in 1933.
The body of New Mill is 21 feet (6.4 m) long and 12 feet (3.66 m) wide. The mill is 45 feet (13.72 m) high to the roof. The roundhouse is 25 feet (7.62 m) diameter and the main post is 2 in 6 in (762 mm) square.
References for above:-
Cross In Hand
Cross In Hand is a small village outside of Heathfield town to its west, in the Wealden District situated in East Sussex. It is occasionally referred to as Isenhurst.-The village:...
near Heathfield
Heathfield, East Sussex
Heathfield is a small market town, and the principal settlement in the civil parish of Heathfield and Waldron in the Wealden District of East Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, England.-Location:...
, East Sussex
East Sussex
East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.-History:...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It was the last windmill
Windmill
A windmill is a machine which converts the energy of wind into rotational energy by means of vanes called sails or blades. Originally windmills were developed for milling grain for food production. In the course of history the windmill was adapted to many other industrial uses. An important...
working commercially by wind in Sussex, ceasing work by wind in 1969 when a stock
Mill machinery
This article covers the various major pieces of mill machinery to be found in windmills, watermills and horse mills. It does not cover machinery found in modern factories.-Watermill machinery:Axle...
broke.
History
New Mill was built at Mount Ephraim, Framfield in the early 19th century. In 1855, it was moved to a site some ¼ mile (400 m) south west of its current position. The move was done by Samuel Medhurst, the LewesLewes
Lewes is the county town of East Sussex, England and historically of all of Sussex. It is a civil parish and is the centre of the Lewes local government district. The settlement has a history as a bridging point and as a market town, and today as a communications hub and tourist-oriented town...
millwright
Millwright
A millwright is a craftsman or tradesman engaged with the construction and maintenance of machinery.Early millwrights were specialist carpenters who erected machines used in agriculture, food processing and processing lumber and paper...
. In 1868, it was moved again to its current position, joining another windmill which became known as the Old Mill. Medhurst was also responsible for this move. The mill was working until 1969, when a stock broke. Milling continued by auxiliary power in an adjoining building until 1971. The mill is currently under restoration.
Description
New Mill is a post mill on a two-storey roundhouse. It had four patent sails carried on a cast ironCast iron
Cast iron is derived from pig iron, and while it usually refers to gray iron, it also identifies a large group of ferrous alloys which solidify with a eutectic. The color of a fractured surface can be used to identify an alloy. White cast iron is named after its white surface when fractured, due...
windshaft and was winded by a tailpole-mounted fantail
Windmill fantail
A Fantail is a small windmill mounted at right angles to the sails, at the rear of the windmill, and which turns the cap automatically to bring it into the wind. The fantail was patented in 1745 by Edmund Lee, a blacksmith working at Brockmill Forge near Wigan, England, and perfected on mills...
. When originally built, the fantail was roof-mounted, in a similar manner to that still to be seen at Hogg Hill, Icklesham
Icklesham
Icklesham is a village and civil parish in the Rother District of East Sussex, England. The village is located about six miles east of Hastings, on the main A259 Hastings to Rye road....
. Medhurst fitted a five-bladed fantail, which was replaced in 1907 by an eight-bladed fantail of 11 feet (3.35 m) diameter by Neve of Heathfield
Heathfield, East Sussex
Heathfield is a small market town, and the principal settlement in the civil parish of Heathfield and Waldron in the Wealden District of East Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, England.-Location:...
. The mill originally drove two pairs of millstone
Millstone
Millstones or mill stones are used in windmills and watermills, including tide mills, for grinding wheat or other grains.The type of stone most suitable for making millstones is a siliceous rock called burrstone , an open-textured, porous but tough, fine-grained sandstone, or a silicified,...
s, driven by a 9 in 8 in (2.95 m) diameter head wheel and 8 in 4 in (2.54 m) diameter tail wheel. Later, another pair was added to the breast, driven by a spur gear arrangement, the spur wheel being 4 feet (1.22 m) diameter. One pair of stones in the breast was removed in 1933.
The body of New Mill is 21 feet (6.4 m) long and 12 feet (3.66 m) wide. The mill is 45 feet (13.72 m) high to the roof. The roundhouse is 25 feet (7.62 m) diameter and the main post is 2 in 6 in (762 mm) square.
Millers
- William Kenward 1855 -
- Mrs Kenward - 1882
- Jabez Ashdown 1882 - 1926
- John Newnham 1882 -
- John Ashdown 1926 - 1937
- J B Newnham and Son 1937 - 1971
- Sidney Ashdown 1937 - 1971
References for above:-