Building record 0127000000 - PITSTONE WINDMILL

Summary

Sixteenth century postmill, ceased working in early twentieth century and restored to full-working order in the 1970s

Protected Status/Designation

Listed Building (II*) 1310208: THE WINDMILL
Planning Notification Area: Late 16th century timber-framed windmill

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Type and Period (3)

CORN MILL (16th Century - 1500 AD to 1599 AD)
WINDMILL (Constructed 1590s, 16th Century to Modern - 1500 AD to 1999 AD) + Sci.Date
POST MILL (16th Century - 1500 AD to 1599 AD)

Description

Grade II+. Windmill. Dated 1627 and 1749, altered and much restored 1963. Post-mill on circular base of C19 whitewashed brick with shallow conical roof of metal sheets. 2 doors. Timber framed and weatherboarded chamber above has curved roof, double board doors with board hood on shaped brackets, and small board door to loft. Sail side of chamber has central post with moulded wooden bracket. 4 sails. Tail pole with wooden wheel, wide wooden step ladder. Internal machinery is intact but probably C19, restored. (Source: David Wray, Pitstone Windmill) (B10).
2ND OLDEST SURVIVING WINDMILL IN ENGLAND (B6).
DAMAGED 1902 & CEASED WORKING COMMERCIALLY. RESTORATION BEGUN 1963; BEGAN GRINDING CORN AGAIN 1970. FULL HISTORY, DESCRIPTION, PLANS &C (B7).
TIMBER OF WINDMILL DATED 1627, THE EARLIEST DATE CONNECTED WITH A WINDMILL IN THE COUNTY (B5). DERELICT BY 1932 (B4). (NB; B4 SAYS CEASED WORKING C.1894, B7 IN 1902).
SOME REPAIRS CARRIED OUT BY S H FREESE & G HAWKINS, C.1957-9 (B9).
Dendrochronolgy dates obtained by National Trust. Various dates in 1590s for body of mill, with later alterations made in late 17th [1670] and early 19th centuries [1824-1826]. Pitstone oldest firmly dated postmill in England (B12,B14).
Buildings report held at NMR (B15).

Sources (15)

<1>SBC4412 Map: DUKE OF BRIDGEWATER'S ESTATE MAP (1762).
<2>SBC6744 Map: JEFFREYS T 1788 MAP OF BUCKS.
<3>SBC12398 Bibliographic reference: POSSE COMITATUS 1798 (MS AT BRO, REF L/P/15&16).
<4>SBC14619 Bibliographic reference: SMITH D 1932 ENGLISH WINDMILLS 2 P128-9.
<5>SBC11717 Bibliographic reference: PEVSNER N 1960 BUCKINGHAMSHIRE P179.
<6>SBC11054 Unpublished document: Ordnance Survey Field Investigator. OS RECORD CARD SP91 NW 7.
<7>SBC17029 Bibliographic reference: WRAY D 1976 PITSTONE WINDMILL (COPY FILED).
<8>SBC6631 Unpublished document: INDUSTRIAL ARCHAEOLOGY RECORD CARD NO 238402.
<9>SBC16261 Verbal communication: VENN J H 1986 (JULY).
<10>SBC19041 Bibliographic reference: DoE. 1984. List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. p67.
<11>SBC11487 Bibliographic reference: PAGE M (ED) (1996) PIPE ROLLS OF THE BISHOPRIC OF WINCHESTER 1301-1302, HANTS RECORD SOCIETY 14, IVI.
<12>SBC22203 Unpublished document: Gary Marshall (National Trust). 2004. Correspondence from Gary Marshall to Sandy Kidd.
<13>SBC5466 Bibliographic reference: Stanley Freese. 1957. Windmills and Millwrighting. Plate 21.
<14>SBC22686 Digital archive: Vernacular Architecture Group. 2000 onwards. Vernacular Architecture Group: Dendrochronology Database. VA vol 35 p97.
<15>SBC23358 Unpublished document: English Heritage. 2006. NMR Buildings Reports. BF001950.

Location

Grid reference	SP 94510 15677 (point)
Civil Parish	PITSTONE, Aylesbury Vale, Buckinghamshire

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Related Monuments/Buildings (2)

Related Events/Activities (1)

Event - Survey: Site visit (EBC13593)

Record last edited

Aug 20 2010 10:44AM