Stembridge Mill, High Ham

Stembridge Mill was constructed for Robert Tatchell in 1822. It incorporated parts from the earlier Ham Mill, a few hundred yards to the north east. surrounded by a low wall intended to keep people and livestock away from the sails. Tatchell leased the mill to his son-in-law John Sherrin, who inherited the mill in 1824 following Tatchell's death. When Sherrin died, the mill passed to his three sons, although only one, Robert, worked the mill. Simon Spearing became the miller in 1869. He was later assisted by his son William, who lost an arm when he was thirteen due to an accident at a watermill in Low Ham. By the late 1880s, the mill was being rented by George Parker. The bakehouse ceased…

Note: Italicized terms are defined in the mill machinery article. Stembridge Mill is a tower mill, a type of windmill which consists of a brick or stone tower, on top of which sits a roof or cap which can be turned to bring the sails into the wind. The advantage of the tower mill over the earlier post mill is that it is not necessary to turn the whole mill ("body", "buck") with all its machinery into the wind; this allows more space for the machinery and storage. In the earliest tower mills the cap was turned into the wind with a long tail-pole which stretched to the ground at the back of the mill. Later, a looping chain was used which turned the cap with gears, as is used at Stembridge.…