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Summary

Structure of oak timbers discovered when building Yattendon Court in late 19th century, and interpreted as a beacon, but more probably the base of a windmill

Other Statuses and Cross-References

• Berkshire SMR No. (pre 2000): 02873.00.000
  

Monument Type(s):

• POST MILL (Medieval to Mid 18th - Mid 19th century - 1066 AD to 1850 AD?)
• BEACON (Mid to Late 19th century to Unknown - 1850 AD)

Full Description

Luke Lowsley reported the discovery of a bronze hoard at Yattendon in the Newbury District Field Club <1>; this was while the foundations of Yattendon Court were being built in 1878 for architect Alfred Waterhouse, and about 20 yards east of the findspot another discovery was also made at about 7 feet depth. Two large pieces of oak each about 22 feet long had been laid in a cross and halved into each other, with a large piece tenoned through the middle. Lowsley and others <2><3> interpreted these balks as the foundations of an old beacon, perhaps aided in this by the fact that the ground around the hoard appeared to have been burnt. However, Dick and Jill Greenaway have suggested that this must have been a post mill base. The area was previously Yattendon Common, and the house was built on the summit of a hill. The windmill base was apparently found when the tower of the mansion was being built <6>.

The Domesday Survey mentions a mill but the Victoria County History <4> noted 'there is no mill in the parish at the present day'; it is likely that this reference was to an animal-powered mill or a watermill.

A document dated 1623 names a 'William Wheeler…miller of Yattendon' and this could refer to the windmill <5>.

The GIS location is approximate but is sited on the west side of the mapped extent of the Waterhouse mansion.

Sources and further reading

Related Monuments

Associated Excavations and Fieldwork

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