Killick's Mill, Meopham

Killick's Mill is a Grade II* listed[1] smock mill in Meopham, Kent, England that was built in 1801 and which has been restored.

Killick's Mill, Meopham
Map
Origin
Grid referenceTQ 6394 6518
Coordinates51°21′43″N 0°21′12.5″E / 51.36194°N 0.353472°E / 51.36194; 0.353472
Operator(s)Kent County Council
Year built1801
Information
PurposeCorn mill
TypeSmock mill
StoreysThree-storey smock
Base storeysTwo-storey base
Smock sidesSix-sided
No. of sailsFour
Type of sailsDouble Patent sails
WindshaftCast iron
WindingFantail
Fantail bladesSix blades
Auxiliary powerOil engine
No. of pairs of millstonesFour pairs

History

edit

Killick's mill was built in 1801 by three brothers named Killick from Strood.[2] Unusually, the mill is hexagonal in plan. Most smock mills are octagonal in plan.[3] The mill was run by the Killick family until 1889 when it was sold to the Norton family.[2] The mill last worked by wind in 1929, and then by oil engine and electric motor until the 1965.[4] The mill was acquired by Kent County Council in 1960 and restored by E Hole and Sons, the Burgess Hill millwrights at a cost of £4,375.[5]

Description

edit
 
Cross-section through mill

Killick's Mill is a three-storey smock mill on a two-storey single-storey brick base. There is a stage at second-floor level. It has four double patent sails carried on a cast-iron windshaft. The sails are 27 feet (8.23 m) long.[5] The mill is winded by a fantail.[2] The wooden Brake Wheel is 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 m) diameter. The Wallower and Great Spur Wheel are of cast iron.[3] When the mill was built, it had two pairs of millstones. Later a third and then a fourth pair were added. One of the added pair of stones came from Richardson's mill, Boughton under Blean, as did the 15 horsepower (11 kW) auxiliary oil engine.[2] The stones are driven overdrift.[3] At one time, the mill generated its own electricity to power electric lights within the mill.[2]

Millers

edit
  • James Killick 1801 - 1823
  • Sukey Killick 1823 -
  • James Killick 1852 - 1889
  • Richard Killick 1882 - 1889
  • Thomas Killick 1882 - 1889
  • John Norton 1889 -
  • William Norton 1889 -
  • Leslie Norton
  • J & W Norton 1895 - 1950s
  • J & W Norton (Meopham) Ltd. 1950s - 1965

References for above:-[2][3][5][6][7]

Culture and media

edit

Killick's Mill appeared briefly in stock footage used in an episode of The Prisoner titled The Girl Who Was Death which was filmed in 1967 and first shown in 1968.[8]

References

edit
  1. ^ Historic England. "MEOPHAM WINDMILL, WROTHAM ROAD (west side), MEOPHAM, GRAVESHAM, KENT (1054722)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 17 April 2008.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Coles Finch, William (1933). Watermills and Windmills. London: C W Daniel Company. pp. 243–44.
  3. ^ a b c d West, Jenny (1973). The Windmills of Kent. London: Charles Skilton Ltd. pp. 57–59. ISBN 0284-98534-1.
  4. ^ "Meopham Windmill". Meopham Parish Council. Archived from the original on 25 July 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2008.
  5. ^ a b c Brown, R J (1976). Windmills of England. London: Robert Hale. pp. 104–05. ISBN 0-7091-5641-3.
  6. ^ "Directory of Kent Mill People". The Mills Archive Trust. Archived from the original on 16 April 2009. Retrieved 17 April 2008.
  7. ^ Carley, John M (1971). The Story of Meopham Mill. Meopham: Meopham Publications Committee. pp. 12–13.
  8. ^ "Windmills and Watermills as stars of TV and film". Windmill World. Retrieved 19 July 2008.
edit