C h e s t e r t o n  M i l l

 

(best viewed in full screen F11)

 

All Photographs Submitted And Copyright Of David Meredith

Chesterton Village Windmill was built in 1632 and remained in use until 1910 when its machinery ceased grinding and finally ground to a halt. For fifty five years it stood neglected until in 1965 when work by the Warwickshire County Council along with the Society for Ancient Buildings began to restore it to its former glory. It stands high on a hilltop overlooking the Roman Fosse Way about five miles south-east of Warwick, and it is a visible eye catcher for miles around.

The mill is a domed circular, rotunda building raised high on six open arches, making it significantly different to any other building of its type in the country. The design reminds me of the nearby Bucknell Water Tower, -the M40 tower as it is best known, although being square but also raised up high and set on four arches, two of which are filled in, but built much later perhaps around 1900. Both buildings are visible from the M40 Motorway that runs past them both.

The mill was built for and maybe by, as is widely thought, Sir Edward Peyto, a brilliant mathematician, a strict royalist, and who was the owner of Chesterton Manor House. It may also have been designed by John Stone, a pupil of and inspired by, the great Inigo Jones

The windmill has two floors. On the lower floor are the mill wheels which once ground the corn into flour. I am told that the mill is opened to the public occasionally, during the month of September, where visitors can climb up very steep stairs to observe the machinery in operation. David Meredith explains that a rather unfortunate female visitor to the mill was hit on the head by one of the sails that accidentally fell off! Happily all of the sails have since been replaced.

Above and Below: David's excellent photographs of Chesterton Mill.

Click the image for a larger photo.

Visiting:-

At the time of writing, December 2007, I am unsure to whether or not the mill stands on private land. Although I would fancy that it is not.

 Co - ords 434800 258800 SP 348 588

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