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Summary

Tower windmill in Holland Fen was a pumping windmill and probably dates from the late 18th or the early 19th century.

Full description

This tower mill was one of several pumping windmills once standing in Holland Fen and probably dates from the late 18th or early 19th century. Late in the 19th century it was converted to steam power and continued to work, driven by traction engine and finally by tractor until about 1960. The scoopwheel was rebuilt in 1960 by the owner and a joiner from Heckington. It now stands as a roofed stump at about half its former height with the scoopwheel adjacent and is kept in good order. {1}{2}
The engine at Spinney Farm has a brick tower, internal gearing and its scoop wheel, though its cap and sails were evidently removed when it was converted to be driven by an external steam engine. If it was originally wind-driven, as is generally accepted, then it is an unusual survival because most 18th century wind drainage engines were replaced by steam engines on the same site. {5}

<1> Peter Dolman, 1986, Lincolnshire Windmills: A Contemporary Survey, p.10 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI1081.

<2> Department of the Environment, 1988, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, 008.005; 3/13 (Index). SLI9305.

<3> Ordnance Survey, 1903, Ordnance Survey County Series twenty-five inch map 1903, 108/5 (Map). SLI9306.

<4> Nikolaus Pevsner and John Harris, with Nicholas Antram, 1989, Buildings of England: Lincolnshire (Second Edition), Page 99 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI1062.

<5> Neil R. Wright, 2004, Lincolnshire's Industrial Heritage - A Guide, BN30, p. 12 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI9583.

Monument Types

• DRAINAGE MILL (Post Medieval to Modern - 1780 AD? to 2050 AD)
• WINDMILL (Post Medieval to Modern - 1780 AD? to 2050 AD)

Associated Events

• Site visit to the drainage mill at Spinney Farm

Protected Status

• Listed Building

Sources and further reading

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