Monument record MDR7327 - Swarkestone Windmill (site of), Chellaston

(SK 390 295) Windmill symbol depicted. (1) Marked on the OS map of 1880-1882 as 'Windmill (disused)' (2) and as 'Old Windmill' on the edition of 1923. (3) Later 'Windmill Cottage' (4) Swarkestone Mill stood in a small orchard, behind 'Windmill Cottage' on Chellaston Hill. At present only a pile of stones built into a rockery in the garden survives, together with a few fragments of millstones. The mill was built in 1793/4, as an indenture of December 1794 refers to 'the windmill for grinding corn, lately built by Isaac Orme upon Little Close'. It was advertised in 1798 as 'a new erected brick freehold messuage and windmill, with two pairs of stones, dressing mill, in complete repair, with stable and croft etc..'. A mill is recorded by Farey in 1808 and one is shown on Greenwood's map of 1825. The windmill does not appear to have operated long after 1834. A sketch of 1889 shows the mill as a three-storey tower mill with a damaged ogee cap and ball finial and with only the fantail staging in place. The sails are common but there appears to be one or more sails leaning against the tower. A painting of the mill in 1932 shows that it had been reduced to one floor and a basement by that time and the owner of the cottage, in 1983, recognised this as 'the brick structure I had to demolish because it had become unsafe'. There are several pieces of millstones in paths around the cottage. (6)