Ramsey Windmill, Essex

Ramsey Windmill (TM 209 304 Coord|51.929|1.213|display=inline|format=dms) is a grade II* listedcite web| url= http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/details/default.aspx?pid=2&id=120299| publisher =English Heritage| title = RAMSEY WINDMILL, THE STREET (north side), RAMSEY AND PARKESTON, TENDRING, ESSEX| accessdate= 2008-05-31] Post mill at Ramsey, Essex, England which has been restored.

History

"Ramsey Windmill" was originally built in Woodbridge, Suffolk. It was the north westerly one of four mills on the Mill Hills shown on the 1838 tithe map. The mill was moved to Ramsey in 1842 by Henry Collins, millwright of Woodbridge. The mill was working until the Second World War, and then left to deteriorate until 1974 when a new owner set about restoring the mill.cite book | first = Kenneth| last = Farries| year = 1985| month = | title = Essex Windmills, Millers and Millwrights - Volume Four- A Review by Parishes, F-R| pages 107-109| publisher = Charles Skilton| location = Edinburgh| id = ISBN 0 284 98642 9]

Description

"Ramsey Windmill" is a post mill with a three storey roundhouse. The mill was winded by a roof mounted fantail, similar to that seen at Icklesham today. It has four double Patent sails. There are two pairs of millstones in the breast and a third pair in the tail.

Trestle and roundhouse

The trestle is of oak. The main post is convert|17|ft|6|in|m|2 in length, convert|27|in|mm|0 square at its base . The mill was built with a roundhouse from the start. Having started life in Suffolk, and being moved by a Suffolk millwright, the normal practice from that county was followed, with the roundhouse having three storeys.cite book | first = Kenneth| last = Farries| year = 1984| month = | title = Essex Windmills, Millers and Millwrights - Volume Two - A Technical Review| pages = p29-42| publisher = Charles Skilton| location = Edinburgh| id = ISBN 0 284 98637 2]

Body

The body of the mill measures convert|16|ft|m|2 by convert|10|ft|4|in|m|2 in plan. The mill is convert|48|ft|6|in|m|2 high overall. The Crowntree is 22½ inches (572 mm) square in section. The side girts are convert|9|in|mm|0 by convert|14|in|mm|0 in section.

ails and Windshaft

"Ramsey Mill" has a cast iron windshaft and four double Patent sails.

Machinery

The wooden Head Wheel is of clasp arm construction, convert|7|ft|3|in|m|2 diameter, with 90 cogs of convert|3|in|mm pitch. It drives two pairs of overdrift French Burr millstones via a cast iron Wallower and Spur Wheel. The cast iron Tail Wheel is convert|4|ft|m|2 diameter. It drives a single pair of underdrift convert|3|ft|4|in|m|2 diameter millstones via an Upright Shaft and Spur wheel.

Fantail

"Ramsey Windmill" was winded by a six-bladed roof mounted fantail, which blew off in 1939. The drive was down the back of the mill and thence to a ring set above the join of the quarterbars to the main post.This is a departure from the normal practice, which is to drive the wheels that carry the external ladder at the back of the mill.]

Millers

*Robert Brooks 1842 - 1870
*Robert Brooks Jr 1870 -
*John Brooks 1887 -
*L Lungley - 1937
*R M Scott 1939

References for above:-

External links

* [http://www.windmillworld.com/millid/2518.htm Windmill World] webpage on Ramsey Windmill.

References