Building record 667/5/1 - The Old Windmill

A brick tower mill of five storeys built in 1832. It ceased working circa 1890.

{1} Tower mill. Early C19. Red brick in English bond. 5-storey tower without cap or sails. Plank door with segmental brick head approached by 5 steps with stone treads. Some 12-pane sash windows, and 2-light casement windows, all with segmental-arched heads.

{3} Built of brick in 1832 as a six-storey tower corn mill, carrying a domes cap, four sails and a fantail, it ceased work in the 1890s. Soon after it was reduced by 20ft (6m) to its present height, all machinery removed and used as a builder's store. It has recently been converted to a residence and a shallow curved cap has been placed on top of the tower.

{5} When inspected (as a response to convert the principle structure to accommodation) the building was in a farily derelict condition. Very little of the mill's original operation remained, though trap doors for sack hoisting still existed and the pattern of a mill stone was carved into a post on the second floor. The mill was thought to have been used in the WWII by the Royal Observer Corps. Latterly it has been used as a store and it is presumed that this is why the machinery has been stripped out. There are timber sheds that are located in the environs of the mill but it was not clear if these had ever related to the operation of the site.

{7} Floor plans and elevation drawings

{8} In summer of 1965 RAF decided that no longer required services of ROC in low-level reporting role; the last of 280 or so active overground structures became redundant; Blakesley opened 1938; ngr 623504; closed 1968

{9} 19 observer post in Northants during WW2. Identifying number for Blakesley was 03.

{10} Tower windmill. During WW2 " a chain of Royal Observer Crops posts had been set up and the group covering Blakesley selected the windmill as a suitable vantage point. A few modifications were carried out on the tower, such as the central ladder positioned on the fourth floor. From here Corps members could gain entry to the crenellated top which proved to be most unpopular as the men were subjected to the cold wind. To rectify this the castellations were filled in on the eastern half of the tower". After the war the mill reverted back to storage use.

{11} Derelict tower windmill (in fair condition). ROC post believed to utilise roof and top two floors of the mill. On second floor a rough corrugated tin partition used to screen chemical toilet presumed contemporary with ROC Post. Third floor has several accommodation related features, probably of ROC origin; three window openings, one boarded up and one with wooden latch for internal (?blackout) shutter; wooden folding desk/table top set against side wall with remains of wooden chair(s) and of coat hanger; many corner scraps of paper pinned to bare brick walls are presumably remains of notices and other papers; concrete block (?stove base) and metal chimney pipe in roof indicate stove heating use.
Wooden steps lead up to flat, leaded and tarred flat roof. Ten of the crenellations around the east side of the roof parapet have been infilled in brick. Concrete wall cappings atop this and remainder of parapet may have been added at the same time. Vertical but broken metal pipe rises from floor - of undetermined purpose. A derelict small shelter built of wood with a tarred felt covering is located off centre on the roof and measures 2.58m x 1.05 x 1.41m high, its south end built over the access stair from the third floor. A small hatch in the floor of the shelter is lifted to gain access to the stair. Two window openings and a door in the east side of the shelter provide access to the windmill roof. Mounted on the shelter's internal wall above the stair hatch is a box for a telephone, with remains of associated wires leading to a further telephone fitting on the exterior of the nearest window as well as extending down to the third floor. A narrow bench occupies the west wall above the stair. The north end of the shelter is now open but appears may once have been occupied by a table or bench? Some faint lead and blue lead pencil graffiti is present on the interior east and north wooden walls. On the east wall is a rough, small sketch of a face possibly Hitler with illegible text below. Nearby text reads;-
Dec 4. 1944. M.F.
Mass Raid NNE
Sept 6. 1944
(illeg)
R. Martin
The B(illeg)
Blakesley
July 2. 1945
On the north wall are a number of arithmetic calculations; a sketch of a brush, scissors and comb associated with the number '0.1'; five concentric diamond shapes and the words;-
AMMO O.K.
TURWESTON (illeg 2 letters)57
Partly obscured in blue letters are two simple grids.

{12} Undated photo;

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 10/48 (checked) (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), F08 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN45262.

<3> Northamptonshire Industrial Archaeology Group, 2001, A Guide To The Industrial Heritage Of Northamptonshire, p.10 (checked) (Gazetteer). SNN104759.

<4> Northamptonshire Industrial Archaeology Group, 2011, A Guide To The Industrial Heritage of Northamptonshire (2nd Edition), p.13 (checked) (Gazetteer). SNN107622.

<5> Ellison, M., 1998, The Windmill at Quinbury End, Blakesley, (checked) (Notes). SNN53951.

<6> Ellison, M., 1998, The Windmill at Quinbury End, Blakesley, (unchecked) (Photographs). SNN52293.

<7> Roger Coy Partnership, 1998, Windmill at Quinbury End, Blakesley, (checked) (Plan). SNN60662.

<8> Wood D., 1992, Attack Warning Red: The Royal Observer Corps & The Defence of Britain 1925-1992 (Survival), (unchecked) (Chapter). SNN1225.

<9> Gibson M.L., 1982, Aviation In Northamptonshire: An Illustrated History, (unchecked) (Book). SNN100276.

<10> STAINWRIGHT T.L., 1991, Windmills of Northamptonshire and the Soke of Peterborough: A History of Twentieth Century Sites, (unchecked) (Book). SNN100318.

<11> Cadman, G.E., 1997, Defence of Britain Recording Report, (unchecked) (Recording Form (Not SMR)). SNN51520.

<12> Photographs of buildings in Blakesley (Photographs). SNN112037.

<13> Bryan, AA, 1998, Windmill Gazetteer for England, p. 21 (Gazetteer). SNN113560.

<14> Historic England, Undated, THE OLD WINDMILL, BLAKESLEY, BF002878 (Archive). SNN115894.

Record last edited

Jan 19 2024 2:07PM