Tag Archives: windmills

The Mill in Grödersby

Jens Ole Sendke windmill

Groedersby windmill as featured on an old picture postcard posted in 1909.

Close to the German / Danish border, in the state of Schleswig-Holstein, in a small town called Grödersby, a rather splendid four-floor ‘Dutch’ windmill dating back to 1888 can be found.

Grödersby Groedersby mill

The Mill in Grödersby seen from a distance on a grey day in November. Photo by Jens Ole Sendke.

Unfortunately as the mill is now a private residence there is currently no public access.

Grödersby

Grödersby on a map of north-west Europe.

It is though possible to rent a beautiful nearby little house called Mühlenholz, which used to belong to the owners of the mill, at a very reasonable rate. Full details of the cottage can be found here.

The Jack and Jill Mills

Jack and Jill Windmills

A picture postcard image of the Jack and Jill / Clayton Mills, c.1904.

The ‘Jack and Jill’ mills are located in Clayton about seven miles north of Brighton and Hove in Sussex, south-east England.

Clayton windmills

An early 1920s image of Clayton Mills in Sussex.

‘Jill’ is a post mill built in Brighton and dating back to 1821. It was moved to its current site in 1852. It was last used commercially in around 1906. ‘Jill’ is in private ownership.

‘Jack’ is a five storey tower mill with a domed cap. It was built in 1866 to replace an earlier mill present on the site. The mill is believed to have last been used in 1907. ‘Jack’ has been restored, is in working order and is owned by Mid Sussex District Council.

Both ‘Jack’ and ‘Jill’ were originally corn mills.

Clayton Mills windmills

The Clayton (or Jack and Jill) Windmills in the 1930s.

The Jack and Jill windmills were featured in the 1973 film ‘The Black Windmill’, starring, Michael Caine and Donald Pleasance.

Open day at Stembridge Tower Mill

The National Trust opened the interior of Stembridge Tower Mill to visitors for the first time this year today. Here’s a photograph taken around 4pm. One of the custodians can be seen seated at the table in front of the mill, greeting visitors, checking membership passes, and selling tickets to non-members. Two jackdaw nests could be seen up under the roof and parent birds coming and going.

stembridge windmill

An open day at Stembridge Tower Mill in High Ham, Somerset, south-west England.

Windmill Colouring Picture

Here’s a super pen and ink drawing of Stembridge Tower Mill, which since the late 1960s has been under the excellent care of the National Trust. The image may be printed off and coloured in. An activity suitable for children of all ages! More colouring pictures featuring windmills.

windmill colouring

Wind mill colouring page. Stembridge Tower Mill in High Ham, near Langport, Somerset, south-west England.

More on the High Ham Mill.

Windmills in Poland

This month we are in Poland visiting windmills and researching material for a new book on windmills in central and eastern Europe. Here’s just one example of the super mills still to be found in this part of the world.

windmill poland

This mill originates from 1705, updated in 1879, and continued to work commercially until the 1930s.

This mill is ripe for restoration. Sadly it might otherwise fall down very soon!