Wimbledon Windmill Museum

An application to build a windmill on the Common was denied in 1799 when the applicant, one John Watney, failed to produce plans for the proposed mill when requested. In 1816, Charles March, a carpenter of Roehampton applied for permission to build a windmill. The request was granted the following year and the mill was built. The mill stopped working in 1864, when the miller was evicted by the Lord of the Manor, Earl Spencer, who wanted to enclose the common for his own use. The miller insisted on removing most of the machinery so that the mill could not be operated in competition with his other mills at Kingston. The main mill building was rebuilt with brickwork to provide living…

Wimbledon Windmill was built as a hollow post mill, with the drive to the stones passing through the centre of the main post. It was a hollow post mill for its entire working life, but was rebuilt as a smock mill when it was preserved in 1893. The mill has double patent sails and is winded by a fantail. The windmill has an octagonal brick base of two stories, above which is a conical tower formerly housing the main post. The cast-iron windshaft carries four double patent sails, and a 6 ft diameter cast iron Brake Wheel with about 60 wooden cogs, which formerly drove the cast-iron Wallower carried on a cast iron Upright Shaft. A Spur Wheel at the lower end of the upright shaft would have…

The windmill is now a museum, detailing its own history, as well as the history of windmills in general. The museum is open at weekends and Bank Holidays from March to October. It features interactive exhibits, such as push-button models and grain-grinding activities, in addition to visitors being able to explore the layout and use of the actual mill. The windmill and the nearby café are situated on the Common adjacent to both open spaces and woodland.