Whitburn Windmill

HER Number:
1029

District:
S Tyneside

Site Name:
Whitburn Windmill

Place:
Whitburn

Map Sheet:
NZ46SW

Class:
Industrial

Site Type: Broad:
Wind Power Site

Site Type: Specific:
Windmill

General Period:
Post Medieval

Specific Period:
C18

Form of Evidence:
Extant Building

Description:
Whitburn Mill's stone shell stands on a grassy mound on the west side of Mill Lane. The wall is built of coursed, roughly squared silver grey limestone blocks and shows evidence of consolidation immediately below the massive blackened sandstone coping course, which may or may nor be original. There are entrances on both north and south elevations with windows over at first and second floor levels. Originates from c. 1796 when the previous post-mill blew down. In 1828 John Storey is recorded as the miller here, and the mill is shown on the first edition Ordnance Survey map of c.1860as a corn mill. Also marked is a path from Mill Lane, bending round the boundaries of the field and leading to the mill. The mill closed before 1879, but in the 2nd World War the Observer Corps used it as a lookout post. A restoration scheme took place in 1991/2, when the blocked doors and windows were opened, the floors and stairs reinstated, and cap, fantail and skeleton sails installed. LISTED GRADE 2

Easting:
407

Northing:
625

Grid Reference:
NZ407625

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
<< HER 1029 >> Private collection, 1779, Coasting Pilot Survey Parson and White, 1828, Directory Kelly, 1879, Directory D. Passmore, 1989, Whitburn Mill P. Jubb. 1991. Whitburn Mill - Newcastle Planning Dept I. Ayris & P. Jubb, 1987, Tower Mills of South Tyneside I. Ayris & S.M. Linsley, 1994, A Guide to the Industrial Archaeology of Tyne and Wear, p 59 D. Hutt (ed), North East Mills Group, 1998, Mills - Old, New & Reused leaflet; NECT, 2015, National Heritage at Risk Grade II Project