Kingsland Windmill

Cadw's description

Location

Prominent building set within a modern housing estate reached W off B4545 approximately 1km south of Holyhead town centre.

History

Built cal 1820-30; erected by the local builder Hugh Hughes. The cap and sails were removed during the 2nd World War for fear of being too conspicuous. Since then Kingsland Mill has been closed but retains its machinery. Also formerly known as Melin yr Ogof or St George’s Mill.

Exterior

Conical tower windmill; stone built with recent whitewashed render.
4-storeys with square-headed openings and small-pane windows arranged in 4 regular tiers to W and E sides; between the windows on 1st floor are opposing doorways which, depending on which side the sails were, opened onto the staging (now lost but wooden joists remain). Boarded door ground floor entrance to N. Remains of perimeter wall built to keep away cattle.

Interior

The principal importance of this windmill is the survival of an exceptional amount of the original machinery, much of which is near to working order. Beginning at the Bin Floor at top where the original chain wheel that drove the cap may survive; 3 hoppers are retained together with the sack hoist that brought the grain to this level; iron crown wheel. Below is the Stone Floor where the hoppers feed into horses and onto stone vats - 2 out of the 3 stones (made from local stone) are complete with their associated machinery but in the case of the 3rd stone the machinery is partly broken. The 1st floor retains rare examples of in situ dressers where the flour was graded. Other surviving machinery includes gearing, stone governors and secondary drives.

Reason for designation

Graded II* as an exceptionally important example of a C19 windmill because of the retention of an almost complete set of machinery original to this building.