The White Mill Rural Heritage Centre - Ash Road, Sandwich, Kent, CT13 9JB. - Windmills on Waymarking.com

The White Mill Rural Heritage Centre at Sandwich, is built around a smock mill built in 1760, and is thought to be the last survivor of possibly 15 mills that once operated in Sandwich. With a surviving Miller's Cottage (now housing the museum) built around 1830 and mill outbuildings, the site is a rare example of a complete milling site.

In the late 18th century White Mill was owned and worked by Edward and James Greey. The mill site first appears on Land Tax records in 1784 and the Greeys paid a quarterly sum of six pence. The White Mill was worked by the Stanley family for many years. Thomas Stanley and his elder brother were milling partners on the 1861 census, having taken over the running of the mill from William brown, who had died in 1860, and Thomas is recorded as purchasing the mill from a T.J. Bushell in 1878.

The increased competition from mechanical roller mills  in the surrounding towns meant that millwrights had to find a way of grinding in all weather's, and in 1888 the millwright firm of Holman's from Canterbury installed a steam engine for auxiliary power at White Mill. In 1926 a Blackstone diesel engine had replaced the steam engine. With 3 pairs of power driven stones available, as opposed to 2 pairs using wind power, although wind power was now no longer an option as one set of sweeps had fallen off, not only was livestock grain milled, but wheat for wholemeal flour as well. With wheat purchased from local farmers and transported direct to the mill, it was turned into flour and sold to local bakers. After WW2 it became harder to purchase small amounts of grain, increased mechanisation in the form of combined harvesters led to larger amounts being harvested and stored, and local farmers found it uneconomical to supply small orders. The remaining years of White Mills life were spent milling livestock feed, and following the tragic death of his father in a milling accident, Albert Stanley worked at the mill on his own until it ceased milling in 1953.

The White Mill was now needed urgent repairs, and it was Vincent Pargeter, subsequently to become a professional millwright himself, who began doing so in 1961, completely voluntarily and at his own expense. The work included renewal of the weatherboarding and cap, along with the renewal of the fantail and he even added a pair of sweeps from the demolished mill at nearby Wingham. By 1964 however, The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings gave a grant for the purchase of materials required for repairs to the mill. Following this grant, and donations made by the public, Kent County Council and the then Sandwich Borough Council, repairs continued until 1968, when Sandwich Borough Council acquired the site. Subsequently, White Mill was passed to the ownership of Kent County Council.

Although no longer a working mill, all machinery is kept in working condition. Recently a major restoration project, expected to take 2 years of hard work, has begun. It will include the sweeps receiving a much needed make over, hence the current photographs showing one pair already removed.

The White Mill Rural Heritage Centre website has much more information, including opening times, entry fees, and special events.

Date of Manufacture: 01/01/1760 Purpose: Milling Open to the public: yes Is This Windmill Functional?: Yes! Windmill Farm: no Cost: 3.00 (listed in local currency) Museum on Site: yes

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