Caston Windmill

Geobox|Windmill
name =Caston Tower Windmill
category = Windmill


image_caption =Caston Tower Windmill


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country = England
state = Norfolk
region = East of England
district = Breckland
municipality = Caston
location = Village of Caston
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height =16.764
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material =Brickwork and Timber
established =1864
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map_locator_y =47
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footnotes =Map Ref: TL951982

Caston Tower Windmill is located in the village of Caston in the English county of Norfolk [ "OS Explorer Map 237” – Norwich, Wymondham, Attleborough & Watton. ISBN 0 319 23809 1.] . The mill stands just off the road to Watton on the northern side of the Village [The Norfolk Windmill Trust, Windmills to Visit Guide. 3rd Edition 1982. Page 24, The Morris Printing Co Ltd 57-61 Pitt Street Norwich, Discription & Location Details] .

Description

Caston Tower Windmill is 55 feet tall and has six storeys and is built of brickwork which as been coated with Tar as protection from the weather. The walls of the tower are 30 inches thick and at the base the tower has a diameter of 17 feet. The cap resembles an upturned clinker Boat hull and is a traditional style for Norfolk. The cap had a gallery and petticoat. The windmill had four sails of eight bays of shutters and two bays of 2 shutters not present now. The cap had a left hand fantail with six blades. Around its girth at the second floor there is a stage. The sails once powered 2 pairs of millstones from the Derbyshire Peak District and one pair of French Burr stones.

History

Caston Tower Windmill was built in 1864. A date stone commemorates this fact and can be seen above on of the first floor window and is inscribed with EW 1864. The EW stands for Edward Wyer for whom the mill was built. The builder was William Wright and the millwright was a Robert Hambling who came from East Dereham. Edward Wyer had the mill built on the site of a previous Post Mill which had been demolished the year before. Wyer’s father, John had been the miller and baker at the postmill. In the early 1930’s the mill was powered by a Oil fired engine. The had ceased milling flour some years before and now was used to produce animal feed.

The 20th Century

A Norfolk millwright by the name of John Lawn bought Caston Tower Windmill in October of 1969. His intention was to restore the mill to its original state and working order. John Laws was so involved in the restoration of other windmills in conjunction with the Norfolk Windmills Trust and Caston became his life long project but he unfortnatly was unable to complete the mill. He passed away in 2000 and as part of a memorial to him the mill cap was replaced.

References