Building record MLI22392 - Sneath's Mill, Lutton Gowts

Summary

Octagonal brick-built tower mill at Lutton Gowts. Constructed in 1779, and still extant, although the cap and sails have since been removed.

Type and Period (1)

  • (Post Medieval to Modern - 1779 AD to 2050 AD)

Protected Status/Designation

Full Description

Sneath's Mill is the oldest complete tower mill in the county, and is dated 1779. It is like no other in the county and resembles a brick-built smock mill, even to the extent of being octagonal in plan. It worked until the 1930s and was then abandoned. Attempts were made in 1939 to secure its preservation, but nothing was done due to the war. By 1971 only part of one sail remained and the cap was missing. After this date it deteriorated rapidly, but may be now restored. {1}{2}{3}{4}{5} Almost certainly the oldest surviving tower mill in the county. Historic photographs show a boat-shaped cap rather than the usual ogee and there is a datestone over the doorway inscribed 'T D Ayliff 1779'. The mill is now (2007) partially covered with ivy. It was made weather tight about twenty years ago and there is now a charitable trust that is conducting a feasibility study into the viability of a restoration project. For the full description and the legal address of this listed building please refer to the appropriate List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. {6}{7} An archaeological assessment of Sneath's Mill was completed in August 2010, to inform its future conservation management. The mill is a brick-built tower mill, constructed in 1779, which is still largely extant, although the cap and sails have been removed. Theories for the mill's distinctive shape have included the suggestion that it was made from an earlier wooden smock mill, that was brought to the site and reconstructed, before being encased in brick. Several of the mill's possible former owners have been identified, including John Sneath, who was the last person to work the mill, and who gave his name to the surviving structure. A site visit, conducted as part of the research, showed that the building was largely complete and that much of the original mill machinery was still extant, although no internal inspectation was possible due to health and safety issues. {8} A programme of tree-ring analysis was undertaken of the oak timbers from the interior of Sneath's Mill in 2016. Dateable samples were obtained from the first and second floor structural frames, the central post, and a window lintel at first floor level. The analysis identified that all of these timbers were cut in the late 1720s, possibly as part of a single felling episode. These dates would seem to support the previously postulated theory that the builders of Sneath's Mill re-used timbers from an earlier structure during their construction work in 1779. {9}

Sources/Archives (9)

  •  Bibliographic Reference: Nikolaus Pevsner and John Harris, with Nicholas Antram. 1989. Buildings of England: Lincolnshire (Second Edition). p.548.
  •  Article in Serial: Catherine M. Wilson (ed.). 1978. 'Industrial Archaeology Notes, 1977' in Lincolnshire History and Archaeology. vol.13, pp.63-6.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: Neil R. Wright. 1980. SUTTON BRIDGE AND LONG SUTTON: AN INDUSTRIAL HISTORY. p.2.
  •  Index: NATIONAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL RECORD. LONG SUTTON. TF 42 SW:11, 0, -.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: Peter Dolman. 1986. Lincolnshire Windmills: A Contemporary Survey. pp.21-2, 50 (figure).
  •  Index: Department of the Environment. 1987. List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. 15/20.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: David Jager. 2007. Windmills of Lincolnshire Surviving into the 21st Century. S10, p.133.
  •  Report: Field Archaeology Specialists. 2010. Desk Based Assessment of Sneath's Mill, Lutton Gowts. FAS site code: LGS08.
  •  Report: Historic England. 2016. Sneath's Mill, Lutton Gowts: Tree-Ring Analysis of Oak Timbers. -.

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Location

Grid reference Centred TF 43585 24300 (8m by 8m) Surveyed
Civil Parish LUTTON, SOUTH HOLLAND, LINCOLNSHIRE

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Record last edited

Mar 3 2023 3:26PM

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