Berkswell windmill is a four bladed

tower mill A tower mill is a type of vertical windmill consisting of a brick or stone tower, on which sits a wooden 'cap' or roof, which can rotate to bring the sails into the wind.Medieval science, technology, and medicine: an encyclopedia (2005), 520 Thi ...

constructed in 1826 on the site of a former

post mill The post mill is the earliest type of European windmill. Its 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. All p ...

, in the village of

Balsall Common Balsall Common is a large village in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull, England. It is situated 4.75 miles (7.5 km) northwest of Kenilworth, west of Coventry, east of Solihull and to the southeast of Birmingham, to which it serves a ...

, in the parish of

Berkswell Berkswell ( ) is a village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull, county of West Midlands, England. Historically in Warwickshire, Berkswell is situated in the rural east of the borough, approximately 2 miles (3.25 km) ...

, in the

Metropolitan Borough of Solihull The Metropolitan Borough of Solihull is a metropolitan borough in West Midlands county, England. It is named after its largest town, Solihull, from which Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council is based. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region ...

West Midlands West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sun sets on the Earth. Etymology The word "west" is a Germanic word passed into some ...

. The

windmill A windmill is a structure that converts wind power into rotational energy using vanes called sails or blades, specifically to mill grain (gristmills), but the term is also extended to windpumps, wind turbines, and other applications, in some ...

is built in brick with a wooden boat shaped cap, and is turned into the wind by an endless chain winding mechanism. It was historically used to grind flour and animal feeds, and in 1927 the milling wheels were adapted to run via a diesel engine, not reliant upon the variable nature of the wind. The mill was finally closed in 1948, after the last miller John Hammond died. The windmill is a grade II Star listed building and a

scheduled monument In the United Kingdom, a scheduled monument is a nationally important archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorised change. The various pieces of legislation that legally protect heritage assets from damage and d ...

. It is in private ownership. It is currently closed as it is undergoing extensive repairs and maintenance.( REF: Friends of the Berkswell Windmill). It was formerly restored between 1973 and 1975, by the Millwright Derek Ogden, for its then owners George and Betty Field, and was complete, with sails and all internal machinery and tools for making flour and animal feed. However, after the death of the owner the windmill again fell into some disrepair until purchased by the current owner in 2006. It is currently undergoing further extensive restoration work. The refurbishment work includes work to the perimeter wall, tower, cap and new sails. (ref: Friends of the Berkswell Windmill)

References

Friends of the Berkswell Windmill: owner {{Windmills in England Windmills in the West Midlands (county) Buildings and structures in Solihull Tower mills in the United Kingdom Grade II* listed windmills Grade II listed buildings in the West Midlands (county) Windmills completed in 1826 1826 establishments in England Towers completed in 1826