Bidston Windmill

Bidston Windmill is situated on Bidston Hill, near Birkenhead, on the Wirral Peninsula, England.

Bidston Windmill
The mill in 2013.
Origin
Mill nameBidston Mill
Grid referenceSJ 287 893
Coordinates53.397°N 3.074°W / 53.397; -3.074
Operator(s)Public
Year builtc. 1800
Information
PurposeCorn mill
TypeTower mill
No. of sailsFour Sails

History

It is believed that there has been a windmill, on this site, since 1596.[1][2][3] The mill was ideally placed to catch the wind and was able to produce over 100 pounds (45 kg) of flour every 3 to 5 minutes.[3] However, the mill was difficult to access by cart. The previous structure, a wooden peg mill, was destroyed by fire in 1791[2][3][4] (although some sources state 1793).[1] During a gale, the sails got out of control and the friction produced by the revolving wooden mechanism caused the entire mill to burst into flames.

The current building was built around 1800 and continued working as a flour mill until about 1875.[1] After falling into disuse the windmill and the land, on which it stands, was purchased by Birkenhead Corporation and restored from 1894.

There is a plaque on the windmill, which reads as follows:

This land, including the woods surrounding this windmill, containing with the adjacent piece of land known as Thermopylae about 90 acres (360,000 m2) was purchased from RG de Grey Vyner during the years 1894 to 1908 at a cost of £30,310. Of this sum the Corporation of Birkenhead contributed £14,625 and £15,685 was raised by public subscription. A portion of this land, viz the eastern wood containing 22 acres (89,000 m2), was purchased as a memorial of the late Edmund Taylor, of Oxton, in recognition of his great services in connection with the acquisition of Bidston Hill for the benefit of the public. The land belongs to and is maintained at the expense of the Corporation of Birkenhead. But according to the deeds of conveyance it must always be used as an open space and place of public recreation and must be preserved and maintained, so far as possible, in its present wild and natural condition. Special care being given to preservation of the trees, gorse, heath and also of this windmill. Bye laws have been made and a keeper and assistant appointed so that they are observed. The public, for whose enjoyment alone the land was secured, are invited to aid in preserving it from fire and damage.

AD MCMIX. This tablet restored 1971.

The building was badly damaged in 1927, once again. A public subscription was then raised, in order to carry out the necessary repairs.[4] The windmill has been reconditioned several times, since. During 2006, the roof of the windmill was replaced as part of a refurbishment program, in order to maintain the structure.[2]

References
  1. Natural Areas and Greenspaces: Bidston Hill, Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, archived from the original on 9 December 2010, retrieved 13 June 2010
  2. Kemble, Mike, Bidston: The Mill, archived from the original on 10 October 2010, retrieved 13 June 2010
  3. Windmills, Allerton Oak, archived from the original on 23 February 2011, retrieved 13 June 2010
  4. Bidston, C.E., Old Ordnance Survey Map: Cheshire 13.02 (1909), Alan Godfrey Maps
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