Monument record MDR4970 - Windmill (remains of), Fritchley

Remains of a postmill near Fritchley. Small stone round house; stone piers which supported the trestle protrude through the walls. One low doorway and several windows, rafter holes for one floor. At present, 12 feet high, possibly higher. Diameter 3ft 6ins. (1) The mill is located about half a mile from Fritchley village. An insurance policy of June 1793 includes 'Wind Corn Mill at Fritchley - timber, £150', indicating the mill was built before 1793. It appears on Greenwood's map of 1825 but not on the OS map of 1836, whilst in 1880 it is described as 'disused'. A photograph of c. 1870 shows it to be a post mill in the late stages of decay. It had no roof, was lacking most of its cladding and was standing on a stone round house. At the present time [2003] only a part of the tall stone roundhouse survives and large holes have been knocked into the walls above the stone piers for the cross trees, presumably so that the valuable, heavy timbers could be extracted for other use. (2) The surviving tower to this former windmill has been grade II listed. It is 18th century in date and is a squat, wide, low circular tower of coursed rubble gritstone with massive projecting plinth pads for the mill cross-tree. It has plain door and window openings with flush stone frames. No machinery or fittings survive. (3)