Wheatley Windmill is an 18th-century
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 ...
at between the hamlet of
Littleworth and
Wheatley in
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire ( ; abbreviated ''Oxon'') is a ceremonial county in South East England. The county is bordered by Northamptonshire and Warwickshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the east, Berkshire to the south, and Wiltshire and Glouceste ...
,
England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
. The
windmill
A windmill is a machine operated by the force of wind acting on vanes or sails to mill grain (gristmills), pump water, generate electricity, or drive other machinery.
Windmills were used throughout the high medieval and early modern period ...
has an octagonal plan which narrows to form the circular rotating cap.
History
The first written evidence concerning the mill is dated 1671, describing it as being "in a ruinous condition" even then. In 1760, there was significant fire and wind damage. New machinery was installed in 1784, supplied by the
Eagle Ironworks in
Oxford
Oxford () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and non-metropolitan district in Oxfordshire, England, of which it is the county town.
The city is home to the University of Oxford, the List of oldest universities in continuou ...
. After 1914, the mill fell into disuse and disrepair. However, the Wheatley Windmill Restoration Society has been restoring the windmill since 1977
Wheatley Windmill Restoration Timeline
Wheatley Windmill, UK. and it is currently open to the public.
The Mill Building
The octagonal shape of this 18th-century tower mill is distinctly unusual; there are only two or three such towers in the UK. The tower has three storeys. There are two fireplaces on the ground floor (some mills only had one, and others none at all) and a properly framed staircase leads to the 'stone floor', i.e. the first floor, where the mill stones are set. The original curved dome cap was copper clad and has been described as being 'picturesque without being elegant'.
There were originally four sails (which turned clockwise rather than the more usual anti-clock) but for a time the windmill operated on two sails only. These were of the 'common' type with a wooden frame rigged with canvas which could be set according to the state of the wind and the amount of work the miller had to do. The canvas used was similar to that used on Thames barges.
See also
* List of windmills in Oxfordshire
References
External links
Wheatley Windmill - Official Website
Oxford Preservation Trust Award for Building Conservation 2010
Windmills in Oxfordshire
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