Listed Building record MDR10066 - Tower mill, Fordbridge Lane, South Normanton

Stone windmill tower, no sails or roof. Has been used as a water tower, but the metal tank has now been removed. Currently not in use [in 1975] - there is an application in to convert the tower into a dwelling. (1) This four-storey stone tower mill shell, a grade II listed building, stands on the west side of Fordbridge Lane. It is not listed by Farey in 1808 and first appears on a map in 1835. It was built on land owned by the Gill family, probably in the 1820s, and was offered for sale by auction in the Derby Courier in September 1843 as follows: "Farm and Grist Mill. A freehold farm and tower windmill. The mill has patent sails and grey and French stones - with drying kiln". The mill continued to work until at least 1880 as suggested by the OS map of that date, which marks it as 'Windmill (corn)'. Shortly afterwards it was purchased by a local authority to build a water works. The sails and cap were removed and a large iron storage tank was mounted on top of the tower in their place. At about the same time three thick iron bands were fitted round the tower at approximately the levels of the floors. The tank was still in place in 1975, but by the early 1980s it had been removed and the mill stood as an empty cap-less shell. In 1996 planning permission was granted for a house conversion, with a built-on two-storey attachment to provide additional space. The cap was replaced with a conical structure, not typical of windmill structures, but which ensured the preservation of the tower. (2) Windmill tower in local stone close to the top of Fordbridge Lane, now converted to a dwelling with tile capping. Modern extension added. Listed, Grade II. (3)