Ashton windmill is a

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 ...

Chapel Allerton Chapel Allerton is an inner suburb of north-east Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, from the city centre. It sits within the Chapel Allerton ward of Leeds City Council and had a population of 18,206 and 23,536 at the 2001 and 2011 census respe ...

Somerset ( en, All The People of Somerset) , locator_map = , coordinates = , region = South West England , established_date = Ancient , established_by = , preceded_by = , origin = , lord_lieutenant_office =Lord Lieutenant of Somerset , lord_ ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

. Its tower is over high with stone walls that are thick. The sails are across and used to be covered with canvas. The last millstones were across and the millstones used to grind wheat for flour and beans for cattle food. The first mill on the site was medieval, but the present structure probably dates from the 18th century. It was modernised in 1900 with machinery brought from the demolished Moorlinch mill, and iron hoops around the building being added. It was restored in 1967. The mill has been designated by

English Heritage English Heritage (officially the English Heritage Trust) is a charity that manages over 400 historic monuments, buildings and places. These include prehistoric sites, medieval castles, Roman forts and country houses. The charity states that i ...

as a grade II*

listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...

. It is now preserved, having been given to Bristol City Museum in 1966 and is owned by Sedgemoor District Council, and maintained by volunteers. In 2008 the council applied for listed building planning consent to undertake major restoration work on the windmill, including replacement of the stone steps, installation of hand rails, guard rails and safety bars, alterations to the window shutters and replacement of the sail frames with wood laminate. In 2010 Sedgemoor Council decided it could no longer afford to maintain the windmill and has appealed for an independent group of trustees to take on the responsibility for the building.

References

External links

Ashton Windmill
at Sedgemoor District Council

which won CBA ''Young Archaeologist of the Year Award'' in 2006 for its author. {{Authority control Museums in Somerset Mill museums in England Windmills in Somerset Grade II* listed buildings in Sedgemoor Tower mills in the United Kingdom Grinding mills in the United Kingdom Grade II* listed windmills