Brill Windmill

Brill Windmill

Brill Windmill is perhaps the most photographed historical mill in England. This 17th-century corn mill stands in an exposed position on a hilltop at the north-east corner of this pretty Buckinghamshire village, with views for miles over the surrounding countryside.

History

Brill Windmill dates to the 1680s, though it has been substantially restored and modernised over the centuries. The first recorded owner was Isaac Cummings, whose initials are carved into a beam on the meal floor.

The mill was blown down in 1757 and had to be rebuilt at the expense of Sir Thomas Snell, who had purchased it from Isaac Cummings' son, Charles. The last known miller was Albert Nixey, who began milling in 1906.

The brick roundhouse

The original design was a sunken post mill, but a round house was added at ground-floor level in 1865.

The mill stopped milling flour for human consumption in 1919, though it continued to mill barley for animal feed until 1923. At the time it finally stopped production it had two sets of French burr stones for milling wheat and a pair of millstone grit stones for milling barley.

It was once owned by the Buckinghamshire county council but is now in the care of the Brill Parish Council and is maintained and operated by a registered charity known as the Brill Society.

The mill has four 'common' sails

When built, the miller would have had to rotate the mill into the wind to correctly position the four sails. You can still see the original mechanism enabling the miller to turn the buck, or wooden superstructure, but the buck is now fixed in place. In the roundhouse, made of brick, you can see the original beams that supported the structure, while on the meal floor are the grinding stones, gears, and drive shaft.

As you walk around the mill you will see undulations in the grassy landscape. These are the remains of chalk quarrying. You will also find several wooden benches, arranged to give wonderful views over the countryside below. This is a magical location.

The tail pole and cartwheel

Visiting

Brill Windmill is absurdly easy to visit. It stands on open ground off Windmill Street (yes, the name is a clue) and there is a small, free car park immediately beside the site. You can view the mill exterior at any time, but interior opening hours are limited to weekends when volunteers are available. Please check the official website for current details.