I clambered around this gem during the weekend. Upminster smock Mill was built in 1803.A smock mill has six to eight weatherboard sides and a cap on top that rotates the sails.
During the 18th century farmers wore a smock and funny cap and looked like a windmill. This wee treasure is the last of its kind in the UK saved by a group of volunteers who devote their time to its upkeep and on certain days of the year will spend hours showing you around and telling you anything you ever wanted to know about its history.
One of the tales is that of the son who had a successful bakery on the nearby corner but committed suicide when the council forced him to sell for road works. The amount he would have received was not enough for him to start any new venture.
Sound familiar?
12 comments:
Good work by the volunteers. Sounds like old time corruption.
I have always only known Upminster as the last stop on the tube line and am ashamed that I have not bothered to ever find out what is there. What a wonderful find.
I think that in the old days, people were generally very badly treated if they got in the way of the big guys, and it is only recently that the concept of giving fair compensation has arisen. How sad.
beautiful wind mill ! thanks to all the volunteers who saved it :)
This is one of the prettiest windmills I've ever seen and you've captured it beautifully.
What a lovely windmill! As for the poor baker, sounds like the mafia to me...
Beautiful windmill and I really enjoyed the historical commentary!
Wonderful pircture! I love windmills, they look so romantic ))))
Wounderful the cloudy sky!
That is quite impressive and how lovely that it has been preserved! I love hearing local stories too.
Pretty windmill!
It's a lot like the one in the Jonathan Creek show.
This photo is simply breathtaking !
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