History
The windmill, a white smock mill built in 1869 onto a two storey red brick base with attached miller's cottage, is now a Grade II* listed building. It incorporates "patent" type shutters in the Sweeps instead of canvas and Sails, and produced enough power to turn four sets of mill stones as well as the maize and oats crushing/cutting machines.
This mill replaced a smaller smock mill (age unknown) which had been in operation previously on the same site and whose sweeps were reported coming very close to the ground. Information received recently states that the current windshaft and brake wheel were reclaimed from that old mill - a common practice amongst millwrights - this could mean that other items were also re-used. Three years later in 1872 a steam engine was added to allow the mill to keep working when the wind had dropped. At the turn of the 20th century, the very tall square chimney stack made the mill a very prominent feature on the local landscape . Due to enconomic reasons (mainly labour costs) the steam engine and chimney were removed in 1911, although the boiler and boiler house still remain to this day. In 1912 a more reliable Cambell gas-oil engine was installed and this continued to provide auxillary power until replaced by an 25hp electric motor in 1938 when electricity came to Willesborough. Not enough of the old Cambell engine remained to effect a restoration, so a working 1906 Hornsby 14hp gas-oil (similar type) engine has now been installed in its place, and will be linked to the auxillary drive in due course.
The Sails, or Sweeps, as they are known in this part of Kent, finally stopped turning in the late 1930's (cheaper electric power) when the mill could no longer compete with the local roller flour mills. Using only the electric auxillary power the mill changed over to producing animal feed, grinding peas and beans, and crushing oats and maize. Some flour was produced using a smaller set of stones driven off a lay shaft. This operation continued through the War years until the 1950's when further Industrial mechanization in commercial milling caused its closure, the mill building then being used for storage only and later as a home until 1989.
Although the Robbins family, who lived in the mill, retained all the original machinery, and maintained the inside of the mill in good order, the outside woodwork of the smock and cap deteriorated, and the sweeps almost disappeared. It was eventually purchased, in a very dilapidated state, by Ashford Borough Council. By 1991 the mill had been restored with a new smock and cap, and the internal machinery had been restored to working order. The lower rooms of the miller's cottage were retained, but the upper part was extended and converted into a self-contained flat to enable a caretaker to live on site.
By the late 1990's the sweeps had deteriorated and become unsafe and were removed for safety. In 2001 Willesborough Windmill Trust Limited took a 25-year lease of the Mill, taking on the responsibility for fund-raising and further restoration to make the mill once again safe and open to the public.
The Mill now has a new cap and new sweeps, the staging has been renewed, and two-thirds of the smock has been replaced.. The mill is working and the Friends of Willesborough Windmill are producing their own bread flour ground from local grain. This is a strong wholemeal bread flour and is on sale in the Barn and from other local outlets.
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