Chillenden Windmill

Chillenden windmill was built by Holman's of Canterbury in 1868, replacing an earlier post mill that had blown down. The new mill incorporated some material from the old one. by Kent County Council and restored at a cost of £728 although some machinery was removed. ==Collapse and rebuilding==

Chillenden windmill collapsed on 26 November 2003. The collapse was attributed to the fact that one of the four piers on which the mill stood had sunk into the ground over time, and the mill's being in a fixed position, not facing directly into the prevailing wind at the time. and put into storage while a decision was made on the future of the building. There were rumours that the mill would be rebuilt at the Museum of Kent Life, but on 31 March 2004 Kent County Council announced that the mill was to be rebuilt on site. The restoration work was carried out by IJP Millwrights, of Binfield Heath, Berkshire. The work included new crosstrees and quarter bars, a new windshaft, both breast and tail of the mill rebuilt and new weatherboarding all over. Four new sails were made, replacing those on the mill at the time of its collapse. These had been fitted in 2001. By early May 2005, work had commenced on site re-erecting the frame of the mill. The reconstructed frame of the mill was erected on the new trestle on 25 May 2005. The mill reopened to visitors on 13 September 2005. ==Description==

Chillenden windmill is a white open-trestle post mill with four spring sails carried on a cast-iron windshaft. The windshaft carries a cast-iron brake wheel with a wooden rim. The brake wheel has fifty wooden cogs, driving a cast-iron wallower on a cast-iron upright shaft. This carries a cast-iron great spur wheel which drives two pairs of underdrift millstones in the head of the mill. The mill formerly had a maize kibbler, but this was removed when the mill was restored in 1958. The mill is winded by a tailpole. ==Gallery==

Image:Chillenden Mill 2008.JPG|The mill in August 2008 Image:Chillenden mill interior1.JPG|The stone floor Image:Chillenden mill interior2.JPG|The meal floor Image:Chillenden mill interior3.JPG|Post and Crown Tree Image:Chillenden mill trestle1.JPG|Top of trestle, showing collar Image:Chillenden mill trestle2.JPG|Bottom of trestle, showing crosstrees and quarter bars Image:Chillenden mill steps.JPG|The ladder, tailpole and talthur ==Millers==

• Haywood & Cage • William Hopper Bean, 1882–99 • A Laker, 1930 • N W Laker, 1949 ==See also==