West Winch Windmill

Geobox|Windmill
name = West Winch Windmill
category = Windmill


image_caption =West Winch Windmill


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country = England
state = Norfolk
region = East of England
district = King's Lynn and West Norfolk
municipality = King’s Lynn
location =Village of West Winch
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established =1812
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owner = Private Residence
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visitation =Not open to the Public
visitation_date =Private Residence
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footnotes =Map Ref: TF632168

West Winch Windmill is located in the village of West Winch [Ordnance Survey (1999). "OS Explorer Map 236 - King's Lynn, Downham Market & Swaffham". ISBN 0-319-21867-8.] in the English county of Norfolk. West Winch is two miles south of King’s Lynn.

Description

The present owner of the Windmill has turned it into a private residenceThe windmill was built in 1821 and is of a brick construction and the outside was tarred. The mill stands over 5 storey’s with a gallery stage on the second floor. The cap was of constructed of ogee planking and had a 6 bladed fan the mill once had two pairs of patent sails. Inside the sails powered three pairs of stones and other auxiliary machinery. The site also once had a granary, workshop and a bakery. At some stage there was also a steam engine which helped powere a fourth set of stones.

History

The windmill stopped production in 1936 and over the next 35 years became derelict. By the early years of the 1970’s the cap was disintegrating and the sails and stock had gone. Some of the internal machinery was still remaining. In 1975 some restoration work was began with the help of millwrights. In 1975 the old cap was removed with a new one replacing it in 1977 along with a working 6 blade fantail. It is unclear what happened to this new cap as today once more the mill cap is missing.

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