Windmills in the Isle of Man
Encyclopedia
The Isle of Man
has had a number of windmill
s over the centuries. They were mostly threshing
mills, with a few corn mills.
This small mill at Andreas
was a threshing mill built c.1870. It was derelict in 1952. In 2007, it was proposed to add the mill to the Isle of Man's Protected Buildings Register.
A skeletal mill was painted by J Coleman in 1899. The mill had four shuttered sails
and there was a drive through the centre of the mill and then into a barn. It is probably Mullen Guiye, which was a small threshing mill. The mill was still in existence in 1902.
This small mill at Ballaugh
was a threshing mill on a farm, built in 1878. It is 2.35 metre in diameter at the base and was house converted between 1967 and 1972.
SC 259 677 54.076°N 4.663°W
The five storey tower mill at Castletown was built in 1828. The mill drove four pairs of millstones and there was a threshing mill in one of the barns attached to the mill. It was tailwinded and lost its sails
shortly after completion in 1828. In August 1829, the mill was tailwinded and the sails were damaged. It was a ruin by 1874. The mill was used as a museum of witchcraft
from 1951 to the 1960s, thus gaining its local name of The Witches Mill. It was house converted in the 1990s, with a glass roof being built within the tower.
A Titt iron wind engine
was erected at Castletown in May 1892, replacing a steam engine
.
was mentioned in the will of Captain Thomas Christian in 1725.
SC 490 913 54.295°N 4.322°W
The small tower threshing mill at Maughold
was built c.1881. It had four common sails which rotated in a clockwise direction. The mill had no cap and there was a stage at first floor level. The mill had sails on in 1909 but these had gone by 1949. The tower has been incorporated into a modern house.
This was a large iron windpump.
SC 270 768 54.158°N 4.651°W
This small tower mill was built c.1902 to work an incline
on a gauge railway serving the slate quarry on South Barrule
, Malew
. The tower survives.
was built c.1860. Legend states that stones from a keeill
were used in the construction of the mill, and that when set in motion the mill went so fast that it shook the premises, and had to be taken down as a consequence.
, was apparently built in a tall tree. It was used for chopping gorse
.
The mill at Michael may have been a saw or threshing mill. A five sailed mill reputedly burnt down in 1865 and was replaced by a four sailed mill.
was a scutching and corn mill. Permission for it to be built was granted in 1755. It was in existence in the 1780s but had gone by 1790.
The tower mill at Ramsey
was a combined corn and saw mill. It was built by John Monk and completed on 29 August 1836. A steam engine
was added as auxiliary power in 1862. It is thought that the windmill ceased to work by the end of the 1870s. The tower was 35 feet (10.67 m) diameter at the base and 64 feet (19.51 m) high The six storey tower was reduced to a two storey base in the 1960s and the mill is now a house conversion.
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
has had a number of windmill
Windmill
A windmill is a machine which converts the energy of wind into rotational energy by means of vanes called sails or blades. Originally windmills were developed for milling grain for food production. In the course of history the windmill was adapted to many other industrial uses. An important...
s over the centuries. They were mostly threshing
Threshing
Threshing is the process of loosening the edible part of cereal grain from the scaly, inedible chaff that surrounds it. It is the step in grain preparation after harvesting and before winnowing, which separates the loosened chaff from the grain...
mills, with a few corn mills.
Ballawhane, Andreas
NX 398 012 54.381°N 4.468°WThis small mill at Andreas
Andreas (parish)
Andreas is a parish in the Sheading of Ayre lying in the north of the Isle of Man. It is one of three parishes along with Bride and Lezayre in the sheading of Ayre.-Geography:The parish stretches from Lhen Moar, along the north-western coast to Bride...
was a threshing mill built c.1870. It was derelict in 1952. In 2007, it was proposed to add the mill to the Isle of Man's Protected Buildings Register.
Mullen Guiye, Andreas
Windmill sail
Windmills are powered by their sails. Sails are found in different designs, from primitive common sails to the advanced patent sails.-Jib sails:...
and there was a drive through the centre of the mill and then into a barn. It is probably Mullen Guiye, which was a small threshing mill. The mill was still in existence in 1902.
Ballacorage, Ballaugh
SC 348 956 54.329°N 4.542°WThis small mill at Ballaugh
Ballaugh
Ballaugh is a small village on the Isle of Man in the parish of the same name. It is the only village in the parish.-Village:The village is situated on the main A3 Castletown to Ramsey road about seven miles west of Ramsey...
was a threshing mill on a farm, built in 1878. It is 2.35 metre in diameter at the base and was house converted between 1967 and 1972.
Castletown
The five storey tower mill at Castletown was built in 1828. The mill drove four pairs of millstones and there was a threshing mill in one of the barns attached to the mill. It was tailwinded and lost its sails
Windmill sail
Windmills are powered by their sails. Sails are found in different designs, from primitive common sails to the advanced patent sails.-Jib sails:...
shortly after completion in 1828. In August 1829, the mill was tailwinded and the sails were damaged. It was a ruin by 1874. The mill was used as a museum of witchcraft
Witchcraft
Witchcraft, in historical, anthropological, religious, and mythological contexts, is the alleged use of supernatural or magical powers. A witch is a practitioner of witchcraft...
from 1951 to the 1960s, thus gaining its local name of The Witches Mill. It was house converted in the 1990s, with a glass roof being built within the tower.
A Titt iron wind engine
John Wallis Titt
John Wallis Titt was a late nineteenth-century mechanical engineer and builder of a particular design of large wind engine.-Early life:...
was erected at Castletown in May 1892, replacing a steam engine
Steam engine
A steam engine is a heat engine that performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid.Steam engines are external combustion engines, where the working fluid is separate from the combustion products. Non-combustion heat sources such as solar power, nuclear power or geothermal energy may be...
.
Ballamoar, Jurby
The mill at JurbyJurby
Jurby is a parish in Micheal Sheading in the Isle of Man and has, according to the 2006 census 659 , residents.It is largely an agricultural district on the north-north-western coast of the island but also has an industrial park on the old RAF Jurby Airfield.The parish is one of three divisions of...
was mentioned in the will of Captain Thomas Christian in 1725.
Baldromma, Maughold
The small tower threshing mill at Maughold
Maughold (parish)
Maughold is a village and parish in the Isle of Man. It is named for Maughold, the island's patron saint.The village of Maughold lies on the coast some three miles from Ramsey, with mountainous terrain on its landward side. The parish includes most of the North Barrule, the second highest hill on...
was built c.1881. It had four common sails which rotated in a clockwise direction. The mill had no cap and there was a stage at first floor level. The mill had sails on in 1909 but these had gone by 1949. The tower has been incorporated into a modern house.
Billown Quarry, Malew
SC 269 702 54.098°N 4.649°WThis was a large iron windpump.
South Barrule, Malew
This small tower mill was built c.1902 to work an incline
Cable railway
A cable railway is a steeply graded railway that uses a cable or rope to haul trains.-Introduction:...
on a gauge railway serving the slate quarry on South Barrule
South Barrule
South Barrule is a hill in the south of the Isle of Man. It has the remains of a fort on its summit, which is believed to be the home of the Manx god of the sea Mannanan beg mac y Leir, and is largely surrounded by plantations. On the south western slope of the hill the Cringle reservoir was...
, Malew
Malew
Malew is a parish in the Isle of Man. It is in the sheading of Rushen together with the neighbouring parishes of Rushen and Arbory.Malew parish covers an area from Langness Peninsula and Scarlett up to Foxdale, and includes the villages of Ballasalla, St Mark's and Derbyhaven. The area includes...
. The tower survives.
The Rhyne, Marown
The small threshing mill at MarownMarown
Marown is a parish of the Isle of Man in the sheading of Middle. Historically it was in the sheading of Glenfaba.-Parish:Marown has an area of approximately nine square miles and is the only parish on the island that does not border the sea at some point...
was built c.1860. Legend states that stones from a keeill
Keeill
-History and siting:Archaeologically, it is used for a specific type of small simple chapel found on the Isle of Man and built during the early medieval period...
were used in the construction of the mill, and that when set in motion the mill went so fast that it shook the premises, and had to be taken down as a consequence.
Bootleyvelt, Maughold
The mill at Bootleyvelt, MaugholdMaughold
Saint Maughold of Man is venerated as the patron saint of the Isle of Man...
, was apparently built in a tall tree. It was used for chopping gorse
Gorse
Gorse, furze, furse or whin is a genus of about 20 plant species of thorny evergreen shrubs in the subfamily Faboideae of the pea family Fabaceae, native to western Europe and northwest Africa, with the majority of species in Iberia.Gorse is closely related to the brooms, and like them, has green...
.
Michael
SC 318 907 54.284°N 4.585°WThe mill at Michael may have been a saw or threshing mill. A five sailed mill reputedly burnt down in 1865 and was replaced by a four sailed mill.
Ballakermeen, Onchan
The mill at Ballakermeen, OnchanOnchan
Onchan , is a village in the parish of Onchan on the Isle of Man. It is at the north end of Douglas Bay. Although administratively a village, it has the second largest population on the island, after Douglas, with which it forms a conurbation....
was a scutching and corn mill. Permission for it to be built was granted in 1755. It was in existence in the 1780s but had gone by 1790.
Ballaquane, Peel
A windmill was recorded at Peel in 1608, but had gone by 1648. Another windmill was built in 1841 and burnt down on 17 December 1847.Lezayre Mill, Ramsey
SC 445 952 54.329°N 4.393°WThe tower mill at Ramsey
Ramsey, Isle of Man
Ramsey is a town in the north of the Isle of Man. It is the second largest town on the island after Douglas. Its population is 7,309 according to the 2006 census . It has one of the biggest harbours on the island, and has a prominent derelict pier, called the Queen's Pier. It was formerly one of...
was a combined corn and saw mill. It was built by John Monk and completed on 29 August 1836. A steam engine
Steam engine
A steam engine is a heat engine that performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid.Steam engines are external combustion engines, where the working fluid is separate from the combustion products. Non-combustion heat sources such as solar power, nuclear power or geothermal energy may be...
was added as auxiliary power in 1862. It is thought that the windmill ceased to work by the end of the 1870s. The tower was 35 feet (10.67 m) diameter at the base and 64 feet (19.51 m) high The six storey tower was reduced to a two storey base in the 1960s and the mill is now a house conversion.