Upminster Windmill
Encyclopedia
Upminster Windmill is a Grade II* listed smock mill
located in Upminster
in the London Borough of Havering
, England
. It was originally known as Abraham's Mill and was in Essex
when built. It has been restored and is a museum open to the public at selected times.
was added early in 1811 driving two pairs of millstones, an action which increased the rateable value of the mill from £30 to £77. A fourth pair of millstones was added to the mill. James Nokes died in 1838 and the mill passed to his son Thomas. A fifth pair of millstones had been added by 1849 when Thomas Nokes was bankrupt. By 1856 the mill was driving six pairs of millstones by wind and steam. Thomas Abraham purchased the mill in 1857, having previously been in the employ of Nokes at both West Thurrock
windmill and Upminster. He had also been in business at a steam mill in Navestock
for the previous two years. In 1876, the Upright Shaft was broken in an accident at the mill. It was repaired with a cast iron coupling.
Thomas Abraham died in 1882 and the mill passed to John Arkell Abraham. In 1889 the mill was struck by lightning
and on 5 January 1900 the windshaft snapped at the neck and the sails crashed to the ground. A windshaft from a post mill
near Maldon
was fitted along with four new sails. After the death of John Arkell Abraham, the mill passed to his nephews Thomas, Alfred and Clement. In 1927 a stock was replaced and the fantail
repaired. The mill last worked commercially in 1934 and was purchased for £3,400 by W H Simmonds. The steam driven machinery was sold and the associated outbuildings decayed and were eventually demolished. The mill was listed in 1955
On 22 June 2004, the Upminster Windmill Preservtion Trust were granted a 35 year lease on the mill. On 18 January 2007, the windmill suffered damage in extremely high winds. The stock sustained damage as did the sail; There was little other damage to the mill Two new sails were fitted by Vincent Pargeter in August 2008.
The mill has a four storey smock on a single storey brick base. There is a stage at first floor level. It has a boat shaped cap with a gallery, winded by a six-bladed fantail. Four Patent sails are carried on a cast iron windshaft. The mill drives four pairs of millstones by wind. The mill is 52 feet (15.85 m) in height to the top of the cap.
. The fantail consists of six wooden vanes set at right-angles to the sails, and has the year 1799 carved on the horizontal wooden beam beneath it.
Originally Upminster windmall had canvas sails, but the sails on the mill when it ceased working commercially were four double Patent sails. They were carried on two stocks 46 feet (14.02 m) long, 12 inches (304.8 mm) square at the centre, tapering to 9 inches (228.6 mm) by 6 inches (152.4 mm) at the ends. The sails were 70 feet (21.34 m) in span, and tapered from 7 feet (2.13 m) wide at the heel to 6 in 6 in (1.98 m) at the tip. Each sail had twelve bays with three shutters per bay, giving a total of 288 shutters, each carved with a number in roman numerals to indicate its location. The weather on the sails was 23˚ at the heel and almost 0˚ at the tip.
, 18 inches (457.2 mm) across the flats and 30 in 4 in (9.25 m) long in total. The Wallower is of compass arm construction, 5 in 4 in (1.63 m) diameter with 43 cogs. At the bottom of the Upright shaft the 10 feet (3.05 m) diameter compass arm Great Spur Wheel has 126 cogs. It drives four pairs of underdrift millstones via stone nuts with 24 cogs.
The millstones are three pairs of French Burr stones and one pair of Peak stones. Two pairs of the French Burr stones are 4 in 6 in (1.37 m) diameter and the other two pairs of millstones are 4 feet (1.22 m) diameter.
, and a Cornish boiler by Davey Paxman & Co. Both sources agree that the engine had formerly been used in a Thames
steamboat. The steam engine itself was removed in 1940 and taken to South West Essex Technical College
in Walthamstow, while the building and remaining contents were removed in 1960 with two of the millstones remaining at the windmill entrance.
References for above:-
, known as Windmill Field on St Mary's Lane. The nearest tube stations are Upminster Bridge tube station
and Upminster station
. Views from the top of the windmill include Canary Wharf
and the transmitter at Crystal Palace
.
and the National Mills Day
Smock mill
The smock mill is a type of windmill that consists of a sloping, horizontally weatherboarded tower, usually with six or eight sides. It is topped with a roof or cap that rotates to bring the sails into the wind...
located in Upminster
Upminster
Upminster is a suburban town in northeast London, England, and part of the London Borough of Havering. Located east-northeast of Charing Cross, it is one of the locally important district centres identified in the London Plan, and comprises a number of shopping streets and a large residential...
in the London Borough of Havering
London Borough of Havering
The London Borough of Havering is a London borough in North East London, England and forms part of Outer London. The principal town in Havering is Romford and the other main communities are Hornchurch, Upminster and Rainham. The borough is mainly characterised by suburban development with large...
, 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 originally known as Abraham's Mill and was in Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
when built. It has been restored and is a museum open to the public at selected times.
History
The mill was built for James Nokes of Hunt's Farm in Corbets Tey Road in 1803 on land transferred from Bridge House Farm which was owned by his brother William. It had four Common sails and drove three pairs of millstones. A steam engineSteam engine
A steam engine is a heat engine that performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid.Steam engines are external combustion engines, where the working fluid is separate from the combustion products. Non-combustion heat sources such as solar power, nuclear power or geothermal energy may be...
was added early in 1811 driving two pairs of millstones, an action which increased the rateable value of the mill from £30 to £77. A fourth pair of millstones was added to the mill. James Nokes died in 1838 and the mill passed to his son Thomas. A fifth pair of millstones had been added by 1849 when Thomas Nokes was bankrupt. By 1856 the mill was driving six pairs of millstones by wind and steam. Thomas Abraham purchased the mill in 1857, having previously been in the employ of Nokes at both West Thurrock
West Thurrock
West Thurrock is a traditional Church of England parish and town in Thurrock, Essex, England, located 17.5 miles east south-east of Charing Cross, London.-Location:...
windmill and Upminster. He had also been in business at a steam mill in Navestock
Navestock
Navestock is a civil parish in the Borough of Brentwood in south Essex, in the East of England region of the United Kingdom. It is located approximately North West of the town of Brentwood and the M25 motorway cuts through the western edge of the parish. It covers an area of in excess of 1800...
for the previous two years. In 1876, the Upright Shaft was broken in an accident at the mill. It was repaired with a cast iron coupling.
Thomas Abraham died in 1882 and the mill passed to John Arkell Abraham. In 1889 the mill was struck by lightning
Lightning
Lightning is an atmospheric electrostatic discharge accompanied by thunder, which typically occurs during thunderstorms, and sometimes during volcanic eruptions or dust storms...
and on 5 January 1900 the windshaft snapped at the neck and the sails crashed to the ground. A windshaft from a post mill
Post mill
The post mill is the earliest type of European windmill. The defining feature is that the whole body of the mill that houses the machinery is mounted on a single vertical post, around which it can be turned to bring the sails into the wind. The earliest post mills in England are thought to have...
near Maldon
Maldon, Essex
Maldon is a town on the Blackwater estuary in Essex, England. It is the seat of the Maldon district and starting point of the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation.Maldon is twinned with the Dutch town of Cuijk...
was fitted along with four new sails. After the death of John Arkell Abraham, the mill passed to his nephews Thomas, Alfred and Clement. In 1927 a stock was replaced and the 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...
repaired. The mill last worked commercially in 1934 and was purchased for £3,400 by W H Simmonds. The steam driven machinery was sold and the associated outbuildings decayed and were eventually demolished. The mill was listed in 1955
On 22 June 2004, the Upminster Windmill Preservtion Trust were granted a 35 year lease on the mill. On 18 January 2007, the windmill suffered damage in extremely high winds. The stock sustained damage as did the sail; There was little other damage to the mill Two new sails were fitted by Vincent Pargeter in August 2008.
Description
Base
The brick base is 27 in 9 in (8.46 m) across the flats and 9 in 6 in (2.9 m) high. The brickwork is 34 inch (0.8636 m) thick at ground level, diminishing to 18 inches (457.2 mm) at the top.Smock
The four storey smock has cant posts of 13 inches (330.2 mm) by 12 inches (305 mm) section, 34 feet (10.36 m) long. the sills are 12 inches (304.8 mm) by 6 inches (152.4 mm) in section, 18 in 4 in (5.59 m) long. The spout floor is 27 in 9 in (8.46 m) across the flats, the stone floor is 24 feet (7.32 m) across the flats and the top of the smock tower is 14 feet (4.27 m) diameter at the curb. The main floor beams are 12 inches (304.8 mm) square at all levels except the dust floor. The main transoms are 8 inches (203.2 mm) by 7 inches (177.8 mm) in section at all levels.Cap and fantail
The boat shaped cap is 17 in 6 in (5.33 m) by 16 in 10 in (5.13 m) in plan and 8 in 9 in (2.67 m) high. The main sheer beams are 12 inches (304.8 mm) square, on 10 in 10 in (3.3 m) centres. with the weatherbeam of 18 inches (457.2 mm) by 12 inches (304.8 mm) section at the centre and 13 inches (330.2 mm) square at the ends. The cap is thought to be the work of the millwright William Bear of BallingdonBallingdon
Ballingdon is a suburb of the town of Sudbury in Suffolk, England. Once a separate village, today it is part of Sudbury civil parish. It is the only part of the town to the south of the River Stour....
. The fantail consists of six wooden vanes set at right-angles to the sails, and has the year 1799 carved on the horizontal wooden beam beneath it.
Sails and windshaft
The octagonal cast iron windshaft has two square sections to take a Head Wheel and Tail Wheel as was its intended purpose in a post mill, and was moved to Upminster from a post mill near Maldon in 1899 to replace one broken during a storm. It carries a 10 in 4 in (3.15 m) diameter composite Brake Wheel with eight cast iron arms and six wooden cants. The Brake Wheel has 78 cogs. The neck bearing of the windshaft is a roller bearing, fitted after the mill ceased working commercially.Originally Upminster windmall had canvas sails, but the sails on the mill when it ceased working commercially were four double Patent sails. They were carried on two stocks 46 feet (14.02 m) long, 12 inches (304.8 mm) square at the centre, tapering to 9 inches (228.6 mm) by 6 inches (152.4 mm) at the ends. The sails were 70 feet (21.34 m) in span, and tapered from 7 feet (2.13 m) wide at the heel to 6 in 6 in (1.98 m) at the tip. Each sail had twelve bays with three shutters per bay, giving a total of 288 shutters, each carved with a number in roman numerals to indicate its location. The weather on the sails was 23˚ at the heel and almost 0˚ at the tip.
Machinery
The Upright Shaft is wooden, in two sections for reasons noted above. It is twelve sidedDodecagon
In geometry, a dodecagon is any polygon with twelve sides and twelve angles.- Regular dodecagon :It usually refers to a regular dodecagon, having all sides of equal length and all angles equal to 150°...
, 18 inches (457.2 mm) across the flats and 30 in 4 in (9.25 m) long in total. The Wallower is of compass arm construction, 5 in 4 in (1.63 m) diameter with 43 cogs. At the bottom of the Upright shaft the 10 feet (3.05 m) diameter compass arm Great Spur Wheel has 126 cogs. It drives four pairs of underdrift millstones via stone nuts with 24 cogs.
The millstones are three pairs of French Burr stones and one pair of Peak stones. Two pairs of the French Burr stones are 4 in 6 in (1.37 m) diameter and the other two pairs of millstones are 4 feet (1.22 m) diameter.
Steam engine
The steam engine was located in a brick building built against the north-east side of the windmill, and drove two pairs of millstones, a centrifugal governor, and a sack hoist. The steam driven millstones were located on 2 levels and driven by a 2½ inch (64mm) square shaft of 50 feet (15.24 m) length, those on the upper floor being driven by a cast iron bevel wheel with wooden cog inserts. It was also able to work various dressing machines in the windmill, but not the wind driven stones. There is some difference over the exact type of engine, it being variously described as a grasshopper engine built by NapiersNapier & Son
D. Napier & Son Limited was a British engine and pre-Great War automobile manufacturer and one of the most important aircraft engine manufacturers in the early to mid-20th century...
, and a Cornish boiler by Davey Paxman & Co. Both sources agree that the engine had formerly been used in a Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
steamboat. The steam engine itself was removed in 1940 and taken to South West Essex Technical College
Waltham Forest College
Waltham Forest College located in Walthamstow, North-East London enrols around 10,000+ students a year.As a foreign student you can combine language studies with vocational options, or study together with UK students on lots of career courses from the College's mainstream programme...
in Walthamstow, while the building and remaining contents were removed in 1960 with two of the millstones remaining at the windmill entrance.
Millers
- James Nokes 1803–1838
- Thomas Nokes 1838–1849
- Thomas Abraham 1857–1882
- John Arkell Abraham 1882–1912
- Thomas, Alfred and Clement Abraham 1912–1934
References for above:-
Location
The mill is located in a small open space maintained by Havering CouncilHavering parks and open spaces
The London Borough of Havering is a London borough in northeast London, England. Part of Outer London, much of its area is protected from development by the Metropolitan Green Belt and more than half the borough is now parkland...
, known as Windmill Field on St Mary's Lane. The nearest tube stations are Upminster Bridge tube station
Upminster Bridge tube station
Upminster Bridge tube station is a London Underground station on Upminster Road in the Upminster Bridge neighbourhood of the London Borough of Havering in northeast London, England. The station is on the District line and is the penultimate station on the eastern extremity of that line...
and Upminster station
Upminster station
Upminster station is a London Underground and National Rail station located in Upminster in the London Borough of Havering and in London fare zone 6. Located east-northeast of Charing Cross, it is the easternmost station on the London Underground network and the eastern terminus of the District...
. Views from the top of the windmill include Canary Wharf
Canary Wharf
Canary Wharf is a major business district located in London, United Kingdom. It is one of London's two main financial centres, alongside the traditional City of London, and contains many of the UK's tallest buildings, including the second-tallest , One Canada Square...
and the transmitter at Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace, London
Crystal Palace is a residential area in south London, England named from the former local landmark, The Crystal Palace, which occupied the area from 1854 to 1936. The area is located approximately 8 miles south east of Charing Cross, and offers impressive views over the capital...
.
Public access
The windmill is owned and managed by the Upminster Windmill Preservation Trust, who provide regular tours and school visits. It is open on selected weekends from April to October and participates in the Open House London WeekendOpen House London
Open House London is an organisation which promotes appreciation of architecture by the general public. It organises tours, lectures, educational projects for children and so on, but it is best known for Open House Weekend, a two-day event which takes place on one weekend each September throughout...
and the National Mills Day
National Mills Day
National Mills Day is an event in the United Kingdom and occurs annually on the second Sunday in May. It started off as a single day event but in recent years has expanded to Saturday as well as Sunday, and is now promoted as National Mills Weekend. The event is coordinated by the Wind and...