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Summary

A windmill recorded in documentary sources since 1693. The tower mill described in 1931 (in BHRS Vol 14) was thought to have replaced an earlier structure. It continued working until 1935, after which it became derelict and was demolished in 1965.

Full Description

<1> Bedfordshire & Luton Archives and Records Service Documents, BLARS: X278/11, Admission, 1693 (Unpublished document). SBD10551.

"in le Leane Field, extending to the mill".

<2> Bedfordshire & Luton Archives and Records Service Documents, BLARS: CRT170/2/15/2, Terrier, 1715 (Unpublished document). SBD10551.

"Broad green furlong, near the mill".

<3> Thomas Jefferys, 1765, Jefferys' Map of Bedfordshire (Map). SBD10612.

Windmill depicted just west of Broad Green.

<4> Bedfordshire & Luton Archives and Records Service Documents, BLARS: GA203, Agreement to sell, 1790 (Unpublished document). SBD10551.

Agreement to sell the windmill on Broad Green for £130 but only after repairs: -
To provide 1pr of French stones measuring 4ft 2ins in diameter, with Brasses and ironwork thereunto;
1 new shaft with wheels
a new back for the sails
to make good the lower floor
to make a second floor with stairs heading thereto
to provide conveniences for drawing up sacks of corn
to new board the roof.

<5> Bedfordshire & Luton Archives and Records Service Documents, BLARS: BC377, Admission, 1744 (Unpublished document). SBD10551.

"In Lean Field - shooting up to Broad Green lying between the Windmill and the pound."

<6> Bedfordshire & Luton Archives and Records Service Documents, BLARS: X272/219, Admission, 1802 (Unpublished document). SBD10551.

"In Mill Field"

<7> Bedfordshire & Luton Archives and Records Service Documents, BLARS: Z291/1, Cranfield Terrier, 1827 (Unpublished document). SBD10551.

"Broad Green Furlong - the windmill formerly stood on these lands."

<8> Bedfordshire & Luton Archives and Records Service Documents, BLARS: GA226, 1863 (Unpublished document). SBD10551.

"Mill with steam engine house attached or near thereto."

<9> William Page & H. Arthur Doubleday (Editors), 1912, Victoria County History Vol III, Bedfordshire, Vol. III, 1912, p. 275 (Bibliographic reference). SBD13982.

"At Broad Green there is a windmill still in use."

<10> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey 25" Map, 1st Edition, 1883 (Map). SBD10619.

Mill shown at SP 9599 4293

<11> Bedfordshire Historical Record Society, Survey of Ancient Buildings, Vol. 1, 1931, p. 3 (Serial). SBD11624.

Fig 4 - photograph showing roadside mill and neighbouring building, machinery etc intact. Description - Brick Tower-Mill in Cranfield 60ft high. It is still working. Photo taken in 1930.

<12> Beds Times and Standard, 20/11/1982 (Newspaper Article). SBD11269.

Drawing of Cranfield Windmill

<13> Bedfordshire Historical Record Society, Bedfordshire Historical Record Society, Vol. 14, 1931, p. 31 (Serial). SBD10681.

"There is a windmill at Broad Green, also shown in 1765 as on subsequent maps to the present day. It stands in the w angle of the four cross roads but I am inclined to think that the existing mill may have replaced an earlier one during that period. It is one of the tallest tower mills left in the county; it stands 60 feet high, or thereabouts, to the acorn terminal of the cupola, with a 24-foot overall base and 21-inch brickwork. There are five floors, including the bin-floor, above the ground. It is still used or was until recently; but now stands in need of sail repairs. It has been worked of late with the sails only, which have proved sufficient for the work in hand, as a steam-mill is also in use. There are three pairs of stones. The sails are double shuttered, and span only about 38 feet overall but they have the unusually large width of 8ft 3ins. There are twenty-one rows of shutters on each sail, 4ft by 2ft bins, each 12ins wide, and two of double width in addition nearest the shaft sockets. The shutters are controlled from the ground by means of chains and pulleys through the hollow iron sail-shaft. The fan-tail measures 10 feet overall. The tower is brick built and cemented on the surface. All the machinery is of later date. The 6ft 9 ins brake-wheel is of iron, with inset wooden cogs; the crown and spur-wheels being wholly of cast iron." Names of some millers given.

<14> Kelly & Co Ltd, Kelly's Directory, 1931 (Bibliographic reference). SBD10539.

Miller mentioned

<15> Kelly & Co Ltd, Kelly's Directory, 1940 (Bibliographic reference). SBD10539.

No miller mentioned

<16> Bedfordshire Magazine, Vol. 4, 1953, pp. 69-71 (Serial). SBD10543.

"At Broad Green, Cranfield stands remains of last and finest of four windmills that have stood thereabouts since 1715." Detailed description of windmill given, together with a photo.

<17> Mary K Street, 1975, Cranfield: its Church and People, p. 18 (Bibliographic reference). SBD10839.

Photo of mill included

<18> Bedfordshire Magazine, Vol. 1, 1948, p. 153 (Serial). SBD10543.

Cranfield windmill: built probably pre-1860; still working in earlu 1930s, latterly with 2 sails 60' high.

<19> J K Major, 1967, The Windmills and Watermills of Bedfordshire (Bibliographic reference). SBD11263.

[No info]

<20> A Smith, 1975, Windmills in Bedfordshire (Bibliographic reference). SBD11270.

"Pulled down in 1965. Steam mill building remains."

<21> Privately donated photos, From A. J. Wooding (Photograph). SBD10598.

Annotated: Cranfield Windmill just before demolition in 1966

<22> National Monuments Record, NMR Photographs, AA78/598, July 1933 (Photograph). SBD10708.

Black & white image of mill, July 1933

<23> Correspondence, Letters from A J Wooding, Oct-Nov 1981 (Unpublished document). SBD10802.

The only worthwhile pieces of information I can offer, and these I suppose you are already familiar with, are that the mill was what was commonly called a grist mill and that the stones, according to Sir Victor Goddard who recognised the mason's mark, were cut in a village near Paris.

<24> Bedfordshire County Council, BCC Photographic Unit, PU302/1985 (Photograph). SBD10507.

Black & white image of mill

<25> English Heritage, National Monuments Record Building Files, BF001854 (Unpublished document). SBD10795.

Details of information held by the NMR

<26> Bedfordshire County Council, BCC Photographic Unit, PU236/81, copy of original photograph by B. W. Anstee (Photograph). SBD10507.

Black & white image of the mill

<27> Bedfordshire & Luton Archives and Records Service Documents, BLARS: BP Box3348 (Unpublished document). SBD10551.

Photo of windmill on 28th September 1948. Tower mill with derelict sails.

<28> The Woburn Reporter, 20/10/1964 (Newspaper Article). SBD11271.

"Cranfield's mill will soon be a memory"

<29> NMR/AMIE, HE NRHE Monument Inventory, 1537471 (Index). SBD12367.

Site of a tower mill at Broad Green which was gutted in 1941.

<30> National Building Record, NRI01 (Index). SBD13225.

Index number

<31> J K Major, 1967, National Record of Industrial Monuments (Index). SBD12557.

Record No.298414

Protected Status: None recorded

Monument Type(s):

• WINDMILL (17th Century to Mid 20th Century - 1693 AD? to 1965 AD)

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events: None recorded

Sources and Further Reading

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