1790
Richard Tidy died
Richard Tidy died after working the Copperas Gap windmill.
Site overview
Copperas Gap Windmill stood south of St Andrew's Road, on the corner of West Street and North Street in Portslade. It was a white post mill with a tail pole. Richard Tidy was the first named miller and died in 1790, leaving the house, mill and warehouse to his wife Ann.
William Huggett later worked the mill for about twenty-four years. Lightning struck Copperas Gap in 1813 and severely burned Huggett. Later millers included Benjamin Broadbridge, John Bodle, C. R. Smith, Herbert Maynard and John Muddle.
Map
Map markers and directions links are provided for location reference only and do not indicate public access or permission to enter a site.
No site photograph is currently available. Images will be added as field visits are carried out.
History
Copperas Gap Windmill was a white post mill at Portslade, standing south of St Andrew's Road at the corner of West Street and North Street. The mill had a tail pole and worked as a corn mill. Richard Tidy was the first named miller associated with the site; he died in 1790 and left his house, mill and warehouse to his wife Ann.
She sold the mill in 1793. William Huggett then worked the mill for about twenty-four years. In 1813 lightning struck Copperas Gap and Huggett was severely burned.
The mill remained part of the Portslade milling landscape through the nineteenth century. Benjamin Broadbridge and John Bodle were resident millers in 1841. C. R. Smith ran the mill by 1862, followed by Herbert Maynard in 1867 and John Muddle in 1869.
The later date of demolition has not been established.
Timeline
1793
Mill sold by Ann Tidy
Ann Tidy sold the house, mill and warehouse after Richard Tidy's death.
1813
Lightning strike
Lightning struck Copperas Gap and severely burned miller William Huggett.
1841
Resident millers named
Benjamin Broadbridge and John Bodle were resident millers at Copperas Gap.
1862
C. R. Smith ran the mill
C. R. Smith was running Copperas Gap windmill by 1862.
Sources and records
Portslade in the Past: Copperas Gap Windmill
Sussex Mills Group windmill gazetteer
List of windmills in East Sussex
Sussex Mills Group windmill gazetteer
List of windmills in East Sussex