Thelnetham Windmill

Thelnetham Windmill
The restored mill, photographed in 2006
Map
Origin
Mill nameButton's Mill
Mill locationTM 011 790
Coordinates52°22′19″N 0°57′18″E / 52.37194°N 0.95500°E / 52.37194; 0.95500
Operator(s)Thelnetham Mill
Preservation Trust
Year built1819
Information
PurposeCorn mill
TypeTower mill
StoreysFour storeys
No. of sailsFour sails
Type of sailsDouble Patent sails
WindshaftCast iron
WindingFantail
Fantail bladesEight blades
Auxiliary powerOriginally a Portable steam engine, then an oil engine, now a Ruston & Hornsby diesel engine
No. of pairs of millstonesTwo pairs driven by wind, plus one pair driven by engine
Size of millstones4 feet 4 inches (1.32 m) and 4 feet 7 inches (1.40 m) diameter. Engine driven stones 4 feet 6 inches (1.37 m) diameter.
Other informationOldest surviving tower mill in Suffolk.

Thelnetham Windmill, also known as Button's Mill is a Grade II* listed[1] tower mill constructed of brick. The windmill is located at Thelnetham, Suffolk, England. It was built in the early nineteenth century to grind wheat into flour. Thelnetham windmill worked by wind power until 1924, latterly on two sails, after which it became derelict.

In 1979, a group of enthusiasts purchased Thelnetham windmill for restoration. Numerous volunteers helped to restore the mill to full working order over an eight-year period. The mill is open to the public, and flour ground at the mill can be bought at the site.

The mill is a small four storey tower mill with Patent sails and winded by a fantail. It drives two pairs of millstones, with a third pair driven by an auxiliary engine.

  1. ^ Historic England. "Windmill, Mill Road, Thelnetham, St Edmundsbury, Suffolk (1031207)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 18 May 2009.