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Quainton and Angle Windmills
Alan Cullen
Quainton Windmill is now restored with sails
turning!
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During the past three years I have been visiting
Quainton Road Railway Centre for another hobby of
mine: the Commercial Vehicles gather there to
conclude their road run from Henley-on-Thames.
Three years ago from the train window we spotted in
the distance a brick tower mill and on our return in
2018 we made a point of visiting the mill which was
undergoing restoration, but nobody was around to
speak to.
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So on to 2019 when we
were at Quainton Road for the annual vehicle run.
While on the train we could see the sails turning on
the mill. As our day finished around 2pm with the
presentations of the run, off we went to the mill.
Unfortunately the sails had stopped turning as it
was only open from 10:00am to 12:30pm! Nevertheless
to see the restored mill in the summer sunshine was
a real treat.
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Just a little history on the mill. Building of the
mill started around 1830. Clay for the bricks was
dug from a depression about a 100 yards away and a
kiln was setup close by. After a slight delay the
65ft tower was half built so they thatched it for
the winter.
Machinery for 3 pairs of stones was installed by a
local millwright from nearby Aylesbury.
Early in the mill’s life the first floor was raised
to allow reorganisation for the installation of a
steam engine on the massive bedstone on the ground
floor with its boiler in the open outside the north
door. The drive was taken up the mill to engage
with the great spur wheel. The mill only operated
for about fifty years and ceased working in about
1891. It then was left to become derelict, the
engine and boiler plus one pair of stones were sold.
Quainton Windmill Society was formed in 1974 and the
restoration has moved on and now allows the sails to
turn and produce flour which can be purchased. So
why not drop in any Sunday between March and
October? The mill can be found in the centre of
Quainton village opposite the village green, and is
open from 10:00am to12:30pm |
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Angle
Windmill in Pembrokeshire
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In June we were on holiday in the Pembrokeshire
coastal area and stumbled on Angle Windmill in our
A-Z atlas so we went to investigate. The picture
shows what remains of this disused and truncated
mill overlooking Angle and Milford Haven.
We believe it to be an 18th-19th century windmill
which was converted into a defence post during World
War 2 as the first floor was still in place at that
time. The floor was concreted over and machine gun
loops were formed to provide defence to the battle
headquarters. Unfortunately the battle HQ is
currently flooded.
The windmill has recently been restored to its
original shape and the tower walls have been
re-pointed in roughly covered rubble.
This mill is on private land but it is easily viewed
from the minor road leading to Angle village. It is
situated just off the B4320 close to Hubberton.
Some of these details were taken from a conversation
with a local man who was walking his dog past the
site as I was taking my photographs. He spoke in a
mixture of Welsh and English but I believe I have
the correct information. |
