Great Barford Windmill

The windmill on a map of 1883

The Bedfordshire Historic Environment Record [HER] contains information on the county’s historic buildings and landscapes and summaries of each entry can now be found online as part of the Heritage Gateway website. The entry for Great Barford windmill [HER 3200] reads as follows: “The site of a windmill, of which the associated mill house remains. The mill was built c.1830, of brick and timber; sale notices of 1877 and 1879 describe it as a tower mill. It ceased operations c.1900 and was demolished by 1925, although the foundations were still visible in 1931”.

Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Records Service has a sale notice for the windmill in 1877 [WG2283]. It was then in the occupation of Edward Trustram and the notice states: “An excellent Brick and Slated Dwelling House, containing Living Room, Parlour, Kitchen, 4 Bed Rooms, Entrance Hall, 2 Staircases, Larder; also, Cellar, Coal place, Wash house, large verandah, with Pump and Well of good Water, 2 Sinks and Privy. Lawn and Garden in front, and back lawn, Planted with young Fruit Trees. A Brick and Timber three-storey Tower Windmill, working 2 pairs of Stones, Dressing Machine, all the going Gear, pair of cloth and pair of spring Sails, Fantail, Pulley and Pinions for Steam Power, Sack tackle, &c. A compact Farm Yard, with entrance from Road, Brick and Tiled Granary, Harness house, Stables, Hen house, Brick and Tiled Piggeries, Brick and Tiled Barn, Stable, 2 Cart Hovels and Chaise House, and Pump and Well of Water, with Close of Pasture land, containing One Acre, more or less. This Lot adjoins the Birchfield Road”.

The same description was given on a second sale notice two years later [WG2284]. Someone has written £430 next to the description, though there is no indication whether this is what the mill sold for or whether it was the reserve price.

Kelly’s Directory for Bedfordshire list millers in Great Barford between the following dates:

• 1847-1885: Edward Trustram
• 1890: John Webb
• 1894-1898: James William Dodson wind and steam miller.