Shirley Windmill

Shirley Windmill - Tuesday 16th July 2013

Shirley Post Mill, located just off Upper Shirley Road, is open on the first Sunday of the month from June to October but BBHLS were fortunate enough to have a private visit on a glorious day. It was built on the site of an earlier mill which burnt down and rebuilt in 1854, which makes it one of the last such mills to be built in Britain. It is a tower mill built of brick on top of which sits a cap protected by weatherboarding. Despite its weight, the entire cap with four sails attached is capable of rotating into the wind via the fantail, a mechanism invented by Edmund Lee in 1745, which connects with a toothed rack running around the top of the brick tower allowing the cap to move.

Between 1951 and 1990 the Mill was surrounded by classrooms and school children while it stood as the most dominant architectural feature of John Ruskin School. On demolition of the school, the Mill then found itself part of a suburban housing estate but at 17 metres high (54 feet) with five floors beneath the cap remains a dominant feature. The sails are unusual, being slighted twisted like aeroplane propellers to capture the power of the wind. They are attached by means of a windshaft to a brake wheel which transfers the wind power to all floors of the mill which despite its size could be safely operated by the miller and an assistant.

Click on an image below to see a larger version.

This is the gear wheel between the brake wheel and the mill machines known as a Wallower. The wallower allows the miller to engage or disengage the power exactly like a car driver uses the gear leaver. However the miller can do this from any floor in the mill by means of a rope.
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Our guide was enthusiastic, knowledgeable and explained clearly each stage of the work and the machinery involved. By first taking us to the top floor and following the milling process we were able to understand the function of the machines and appreciate the work of the miller when turning grain to flour. He expertly answered all our questions and contributed greatly to an enjoyable and informative visit. The adjacent visitor centre offered guide books, souvenirs and refreshments which were a welcome end to a delightful visit.
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