Building record MLI82961 - Pocklington's Mill, Heckington

Summary

Pocklington's Mill, Heckington, is an eight sail windmill, still in use today.

Type and Period (1)

  • (Post Medieval to Modern - 1830 AD to 2050 AD)

Protected Status/Designation

Full Description

Known throughout the country as the only remaining eight sail mill. It is dated 'MH1830' and was built for Michael Hare by the millwright Edward Ingledew. When first built it had five of Sutton's patent sails which drove three pairs of stones. The mill worked in this form until 1890 when it fell victim to a tail wind. The sails ran backwards and after a short while were completely blown off, taking the entire cap with them. The mill is also said to have caught fire in the incident but this is believed to be an error. At any rate, the windmill was a wreck and was abandoned by the miller. Luckily, the next year John Pocklington bought the mill as he had recently bought some gear at auction. This machinery included the entire gear, cap and sails from the eight sail mill at Skirbeck, Boston. The mill was up and running again by 1892 and became a great success for John Pocklington, he combined milling, baking, building and farming and also built a large saw-mill on one side which was driven by wind. The mill ceased work a few years after the death of John Pocklington in 1941. It was saved from being dismantled by Kesteven County Council who bought it in 1953 and restored it as a landmark, replacing four sails (possibly from the former tower mill at Wyberton - see MLI85667). In 1985 major repairs were put in hand by Lincolnshire County Council, including the construction of 192 new shades and four new sails, with the aim of getting the mill working again. 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. {1}{2}{3}{4} The mill was the subject of historic building recording, conducted in February 2014 to inform proposed renovation and renewal works at the site. The mill is built of bitumen-painted red brick, standing 5 storeys with a typical Lincolnshire ogee cap on top. Windows are to the four main cardinal 'sides' of the tower, and an external wooden reefing stage is at the second floor level. Descending from the cap, the floors function as: A dust floor where the mechanism that operates the sack hoist is housed. Upper and lower bin floors where grain is respectively held and cleaned. A stone floor where power is transferred from the sail to three sets of millstones, used to grind the grain. A meal floor, where grain is mixed to create animal feed. The ground floor, now mainly used as a museum and shop. {5}{6}

Sources/Archives (6)

  •  Bibliographic Reference: Peter Dolman. 1986. Lincolnshire Windmills: A Contemporary Survey. p.16.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: Neil R. Wright. 2004. Lincolnshire's Industrial Heritage - A Guide. NK36, p.53.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: Nikolaus Pevsner and John Harris, with Nicholas Antram. 1989. Buildings of England: Lincolnshire (Second Edition). p.378.
  •  Index: Department of the Environment. 1988. List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. 11/57 (220.017).
  •  Report: Archaeological Project Services. 2015. Heckington Windmill, Hale Road, Heckington. APS site code: HEWM12.
  •  Archive: Archaeological Project Services. 2015. Heckington Windmill, Hale Road, Heckington. LCNCC 2012.116.

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Location

Grid reference Centred TF 14563 43549 (8m by 7m) Surveyed
Civil Parish HECKINGTON, NORTH KESTEVEN, LINCOLNSHIRE

Related Monuments/Buildings (5)

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Record last edited

Feb 20 2023 3:16PM

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