King's Mill, Shipley

built in 1879 which has been restored and is open to the public.

History

"King's Mill" was built in 1879 at a cost of £2,500 by Messrs Grist and Steele, the Horsham millwrights. Machinery from a windmill at Coldwaltham is believed to have been incorporated in the mill. The mill worked commercially until 1926, latterly by a steam engine.cite book | first = Martin| last = Brunnarius| year = 1979| title = The Windmills of Sussex| pages = p66-68, 190| publisher = Philimore| location = Chichester| id = ISBN 0 85033 345 8 ] It was bought in 1906 by Hilaire Belloc, who owned it until his death in 1953. "King's Mill" was restored as a memorial to Belloc soon after his death. The restoration was done by E Hole and Sons, the Burgess Hill millwrights. The restored mill was opened to visitors for the first time in 1958.cite web|url=http://www.shipleywindmill.org.uk/history.htm|title =History of Shipley Windmill
publisher= Shipley Windmill|accessdate=2008-05-06] It West Sussex County Council had the responsibility for the upkeep of the mill, which remained in the ownership of the Belloc family. The Shipley Windmill Charitible Trust was formed in 1987 and now has the responsibility for the maintenance. Further restoration work was carried out by Hole's between 1987 and 1990, when the mill re-opened, although with only two sails at that time. The second pair of sails was fitted in 1991. A new pair of sails and a new stock were fitted in November 2004.cite web|url=http://www.windmillworld.com/millid/2584.htm|title =Shipley windmill, Sussex
publisher= Windmill World|accessdate=2008-05-06] "King's Mill" is in working order. It occasionally grinds corn for flour and is open to visitors on the first, second and third Sundays each month, and Bank Holiday Mondays between 2-5pm throughout the spring and summer.

Description

"King's Mill" is a four storey smock mill on a two storey brick base. It has four Patent Sails carried on a cast iron windshaft. The octagonal conical cap is winded by a fantail. The Brake Wheel is wood, driving a cast iron Wallower on an oak Upright Shaft. This carries a cast iron Great Spur Wheel which drives three pairs of overdrift millstones.

Millers

*Friend Martin 1879 - 1884
*William Rapley
*R Wood 1884 - 1895
*Richard Vincent 1898
*Ernest Powell - 1926

Reference for above:-cite web|url=http://www.horshamworkhouse.co.uk/history3.htm|title =The Horsham Union Workhouse - a history - Page 3 of 7
publisher= Horsham Workhouse|accessdate=2008-05-21]

Culture and media

The mill was used for external shots for Jonathan Creek's home in the BBC series of that name.cite web|url=http://www.windmillworld.com/mills/stars.htm|title=Windmills and Watermills as stars of TV and film|publisher=Windmill World|accessdate=2008-07-19]

References

Further reading

cite book | first = Peter| last = Hemming| year = 1936| title = The Windmills in Sussex| publisher = C W Daniel| location = London [http://theweald.org/bk.asp?BookId=wind900&xid=A&xnm=1 Online version]

External links

* [http://www.shipleywindmill.org.uk/open.htm Shipley Windmill]
* [http://www.sussexmillsgroup.org.uk/shipley.htm Fitting new sails at Shipley Windmill]
* [http://www.windmillworld.com/millid/2584.htm Windmill World] entry for Shipley Windmill.