Wind Mills in Crowle
There were four separate mills on Mill Road and a further mill on Godknow Road.
Stamford Mercury – Friday 06 June 1845
Stamford Mercury – Friday 22 February 1850
Godknow Road Mill
Millers;
1891 Peter Cranidge, Occupation, Miller, 1891 – Godknow Road, Crowle, Lincolnshire, (1891 Census)
Place: South Mill, Crowle, Lincolnshire, England
Creator: photographer : Muggeridge, Donald William, Mr., b.1918
Date: 31.5.1947
Description: Black and white negative and print made from it of South Mill, a tower mill in Crowle, Lincolnshire, taken on 31st May 1947, by which time it was capless.
Used by courtesy of the University of Kent. http://www.kent.ac.uk/library/specialcollections/mills/r.php/25131/show.html
God now Road Windmill on the 1911 Tax Assessment Map.
Mill Road Mills
The 1738 Manorial Plan shows two mills on Mill Road – both at the top of the hill. One on the site of Kingsthorpe Villa and a second mill a short distance to the west of the mill. The mills were known as the East and West Mills.
At the time of the 1738 survey the mills were both the property of Mrs Barton, Parsonage Freehold – as distinct from the Vicarage.
Wind Mills on Mill Road 1893
First Mill on Mill Road
This mill was located to the left of the road just before the Cemetery. A bungalow now occupies the site. The miller’s house still remains but uninhabited.
Millers;
<1802 James Turner
1802 John Hind, of Epworth – Bought the mill from Mr James Turner. https://crowle.org/?p=1281
1853 In 1853 the when it passed to Anderson and his brothers the mill is described as being a “Plot of land in Crowle field, marked as 42 on the enclosure map and known as Mill Close and also Brick Smock Corn windmill with Stable and Buildings”2.
Subsequently sold to Elijah Fillingham
Pinfold Corner
The wind mill can be seen in this photo of the Baptist chapel.
It appears that by 1921 this mill (though could possibly be another) was no longer in use as the following advert appeared in the Crowle Advertiser.
Crowle Advertiser January 15 1921
Crowle Windmill
Creator: photographer : Muggeridge, Donald William, Mr., b.1918
Date: 31.5.1947
Description: Black and white negative and print made from it of a tower mill by the railway in Crowle, Lincolnshire, taken on 31st May 1947.
Used by courtesy of the University of Kent. http://www.kent.ac.uk/library/specialcollections/mills/r.php/25130/show.html
Second Mill on Mill Road
West Mill
Windmills, Mill Road, 1738 Note North is to the left which is as the plan was drawn. At the time of the 1738 survey the mills were both the property of Mrs Barton, Parsonage Freehold – as distinct from the Vicarage.
Reference Name MISC DON 615/18
Of the succession in real property of George William Couch of Gunness, farm servant, and Ada Sophia Hayes (wife of William Hayes of Crowle) upon the death of Sarah Couch on 19 Mar 1884, daughter of Thomas Couch – messuage or post corn windmill and 3r. 24p. of land called “West Mill” in Crowle, numbered 24 on the enclosure allotment plan, being partly freehold and partly copyhold, listing incumbrances of five legacies charged on the property.
Date: 7 May 1888
East Mill (Also known as Kings Mill and White Mill)
Summary of an abstract of title to the two mills was drawn up in 1839 for sale of the property by John Bentley to be sold to Mr David Holmes.
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It would appear that around 1758 Thomas Bentley built a third wind mill in Crowle.
The owners of the East and West Mill at that time were the daughters of Richard Popplewell of Temple Belwood. If I’ve understood it correctly Mrs Barton who owned both mills in 1738 was his wife and had pre-deceased him.It would appear that to protect their interests they sued Thomas Bentley describing their mills as “which said 2 mills had for time out of mind been (& then ought to be) the only corn mills in the Parish of Crowle.”To settle this lawsuit in 1760 Thomas agreed to buy the East Mill, commonly called the Kings Mill from Alan Johnson and Katharine, his wife (one of the daughters of Richard Popplewell) for £200 and an agreement to demolish his new mill.
In 1770 Thomas bought the West Mill from Robert Steer and Elizabeth (The other daughter of Richard Popplewell) for a consideration of £170.
In 1772 Thomas passed the two mills onto his son John in consideration of 10s and his love and affection etc.
1n 1780 the probate document indicates that John left the mills and a cottage in the north end of Crowle where his father had lived, to his son John on attaining the age of 21 years. This document describes the East Mill as also being called the White Mill.
1822 Allotment of the mill and land under the enclosures act.
Hi, found these millers working in Crowle 1849, post office directory.
Margrave & William Brown, John Hind, Charles Hallgarth, William Kilham.
Does anyone know which mills they were working at please, or how I could find out. I’m trying to pinpoint which mill it was Charles Hallgarth worked. Charles is on 1851 census as miller employ ?, couple of doors up is Thomas Couch, miller, maybe they were the mills next to the cemetery. Charles son, also a Charles, is also on the 1851 census, different part of Crowle as a miller labourer.
Thankyou
Hi Shirlee,
Thomas Couch’s mill was the mill at the top of mill hill – originally known as West Mill.
Angus
I realise I am coming late to this… but have just found this page.
My great-great-grandmother was the Ada Sophia Couch listed in the succession information above for the West Mill. Peter: if you have any copies of the information you compiled of the millers in Crowle, I would love to receive it.
I am writing this: hoping that someone still checks into this site….
Hi Anthony,
Apologies I have not logged in for a while. The documents referred to in the article of Windmills (https://crowle.org/?p=936) are available in Lincolnshire Archives. Unfortunately, I don’t think I have my copies anymore. Pete Couch occasionally posts in Crowle Memories Facebook Group and is descended from the Millers. I used to chat to his father when he was still alive. – This is Peter’s profile on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/groups/691962747520885/user/100000405713565
My Ancestor Charles Hallgarth and his son John were millers in Crowle, they also had a shop in Crowle which I believe was a Bakers. Does anyone know which mill? This would have been roundabout the 1860’s or 70’s Looking in the 1861 census it says they live in Ulceby.
The sale of the postmill, its destruction and the building of the present Kingsthorpe Villa was done by John Pickering a Druggist/Chemist. He was a keen amateur photographer.
I suppose he may have took pictures of the mill in its delapidated state. alas, these too may be lost or in posession of a decendent somewhere out there. A picture of Thomas Couch or his sons are not in existence either. Such a shame, as these are the holy grail to me. the quest continues!
I have much information on the Couch family as Millers in Crowle and their previous history. Alas no picture of the postmill seems to exist. I plan to publish my findinds and family history at a later date. I am editting the final draft at this very moment.
Many thanks for the update Pete. I look forward to reading your findings. The post mill was one of the two mills that are shown on the 1738 Manorial plan.