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Black Mill, Barham

Coordinates: 51°12′54″N 1°10′08″E / 51.215°N 1.169°E / 51.215; 1.169
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Black Mill, Barham
The mill when a working mill
Map
Origin
Mill nameBlack Mill
Barham Downs Mill
Grid referenceTR 214 510
Coordinates51°12′54″N 1°10′08″E / 51.215°N 1.169°E / 51.215; 1.169
Year built1834
Information
PurposeCorn mill
TypeSmock mill
StoreysThree-storey smock
Base storeysTwo-storey base
Smock sidesEight-sided
No. of sailsFour
Type of sailsPatent sails
Windshaftcast iron
WindingFantail
Fantail bladesSix blades
No. of pairs of millstonesFour pairs
Year lost1970
Other informationBurnt down while under restoration.

Black Mill or Barham Downs Mill was a smock mill at Barham, Kent, England which was accidentally burnt down in 1970 while under restoration.

History

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The machinery displayed on the village green.

Black Mill was the third mill on the site. There was a mill on Barham Down in the thirteenth century.[1] A mill was marked on Philip Symonson's map of 1596, John Speed's map of 1611, Robert Morden's map of 1695 and Emanuel Bowen's map of 1736. This mill was originally a little lower down the hill, and was moved to a new position higher up.[2]

The second mill was marked on the 1819–43 Ordnance Survey map.[2]

The Black Mill was built by John Holman, the Canterbury millwright in 1834. She was worked for many years by H S Pledge, then R Walter for over 50 years, and after that by T Denne and Sons. The mill was struck by lightning on 17 June 1878 and lost a sail. Over £150 had to be spent to repair the mill.[2] The last owner, Mr E Mannering, fitted the fantail from Willesborough windmill in 1946,[3] and restored the mill in 1956. He was awarded a Windmill Certificate by the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings for his efforts. The work was done by Holman's of Canterbury, the last millwrighting they did before the firm stopped doing millwrighting work.[4] Kent County Council contributed £400 towards the restoration work.[5] The work included the replacement of two sails that had been blown off in a storm on 13 March 1951.[6][7] The mill featured in the 1955 film "Raising a Riot" starring Kenneth More.[8] The mill was purchased by Kent County Council in the late 1960s and burnt down on 3 March 1970 when a spark from a bonfire set light to the mill. A new stage had been prepared for the restored mill, and this was donated to Draper's Windmill, Margate and erected there by Vincent Pargeter.[9]

Description

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Black Mill was a four-storey smock mill mounted on a single-storey brick base. It had four single patent sails mounted on a cast-iron windshaft and was winded by a fantail. The mill drove four pairs of millstones.

Millers

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References

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  1. ^ "Barham - 13th Century". Barham village website. Archived from the original on 13 October 2004. Retrieved 13 April 2008.
  2. ^ a b c Coles Finch, William (1933). Watermills and Windmills. London: C W Daniel Company. p. 157.
  3. ^ West, Jenny (1973). The Windmills of Kent. London: Charles Skilton Ltd. pp. 80–83. ISBN 0284-98534-1.
  4. ^ West, Jenny (1973). The Windmills of Kent. London: Charles Skilton Ltd. pp. 94, 111. ISBN 0284-98534-1.
  5. ^ "Kent County Council Windmill Aid". The Mills Archive. Retrieved 13 April 2008. (original source Milling, 3 March 1956)
  6. ^ "The Barham Windmill". The Mills Archive. Retrieved 13 April 2008. (original source Milling, 24 March 1951)
  7. ^ "Kent Messenger article". The Mills Archive. Retrieved 13 April 2008. (original source Kent Messenger, 6 July 1956)
  8. ^ "The Missing Landmark". Barham Village website. Archived from the original on 2 November 2004. Retrieved 21 April 2008.
  9. ^ "A MILLWRIGHT'S TALE". The Mills Archive. Archived from the original on 17 May 2008. Retrieved 19 April 2008.
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