December 27, 2011

Wind Mills in Crowle

By Angus Townley

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

MillGodknow1911Tax

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 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

 This was located on the left had side of the road just after the cemetery.
 

West Mill

 This was located on the left hand side of the road at the top of the hill just before the present site  of Kingsthorpe Villa and is one of the two mills shown on the Manorial Plan of 1738

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)

 This was located on the left hand side of the road at the top of the hill on the site of Kingsthorpe Villa. This was the second mill that was depicted on the Manorial Plan of 1738.

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.

  • 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.