Dobson's Mill is a tower windmill for grinding wheat and corn. It stands in the High Street in the town of Burgh le Marsh, near Skegness in Lincolnshire, England. The mill was, prior to damage by Storm Ciara on 9 February 2020, open to the public as a tourist attraction and is a Grade I listed building.[1] The mill site also houses the Burgh-le-Marsh Heritage Centre.
| Dobson's Mill | |
|---|---|
 Dobson's Mill | |
 | |
| Origin | |
| Mill location | Burgh le Marsh, Lincolnshire |
| Coordinates | 53°09′38″N 0°14′52″E / 53.1606°N 0.2477°E |
| Information | |
| Purpose | Flour mill |
| Type | Tower mill |
| Storeys | Five |
| No. of sails | Five |
| Type of sails | Patent-Shutter |
| Other information | |
Listed Building – Grade I | |
| Designated | 28 May 1965 |
| Reference no. | 1222732 |
| Current Status | Visitor attraction, currently closed due to storm damage |
| Website | http://www.visitburghlemarsh.co.uk/burgh_heritage_centre.html |
The windmill was built and fitted out by Sam Oxley, an Alford millwright, in the early 1800s for the Jessop family, who baked bread on the same site. It was completed by 1844. Dobson was the name of the last miller.
The mill is built in five storeys of tarred brick and was fitted with five sails (also termed "sweeps"), unusual in that they turned clockwise, driving three sets of millstones (two pairs of grey stones and one pair of French) in an anti-clockwise direction. There is a blocked opening on the ground floor where a steam traction engine once powered an extra set of millstones.
The mill was purchased by the local Council in the 1960s and refurbished, including the installation of a new cap and sails, in 2014.
On 9 February 2020 the cap and sails were destroyed by winds from Storm Ciara.[2] The 16-tonne sails landed on the adjacent Granary Heritage Displays, which were reopened in May 2023.[3] It is planned to reinstate the sails, with the work hoped to be completed by 2026.[4][5]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Historic England. "DOBSON'S WINDMILL (1222732)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
- ^ Hennessy, Peter (9 February 2020). "Storm Ciara tears sails off historic Burgh Le Marsh windmill". Lincolnshire Live. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
- ^ Redford, Chrissie (14 May 2023). "VIDEO: Villagers gather for grand re-opening Dobson's Mill heritage centre in Burgh le Marsh". Lincolnshire World. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
- ^ Parkhill, Harry (5 March 2024). "Sails to return to windmill after storm damage". BBC. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
- ^ Redford, Chrissie (17 October 2023). "Heritage group hopes sails will turn again on Dobson's Mill in Burgh le Marsh by 2026". Lincolnshire World. Retrieved 4 July 2024.