The sight of a historical windmill silhouetted against the horizon is a beautiful scene found across the UK's countryside – but did you know that there are actually many types of historical windmills?
Each type of windmill can show us the different industrial stages that the UK has gone through, as technology developed. Here, we take a look at the different types of historical windmills and how they work.
What is a post mill and how does it work?
Present in Britain and wider Europe by the 12th century, the earliest windmills were post mills. The entire body of the mill is mounted on a single central post – hence the name. The body of the mill is turned to bring the sails into the wind.
What is a tower mill and how does it work?
Tower mills became prevalent in the UK from the 17th century onwards. They are usually larger and higher than post mills, with the grinding machinery housed within a stationary body. The only turning part is the cap, to which the sweeps are fixed.
What is a smock mill and how does it work?
Smock mills have the same ‘fixed’ structure as tower mills, but are built of wood, with the flared or tapering tower reminiscent of a peasant’s smock.
Union Mill (in Cranbrook, Kent) is the tallest working smock mill in the UK.
How did windmills grind corn?
Corn grinding in windmills is done by two revolving millstones; the speed at which they turn determined by the speed of the sails, ideally fluctuating as little as possible.
A further development in windmill technology in the 18th century was to use them as pumps to drain the East Anglia Fens. Sail power was used for the large water-lifting scoop wheels.
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