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Barn frontage collapsed
After listing, the central section of the south barn frontage containing a door, window, and oculus collapsed.
Site overview
St-y-Nyll windmill tower and attached barn remains stand on a hilltop east of St-y-Nyll farm and chapel remains, near St Bride's-super-Ely. The windmill was built between 1790 and 1820 and survives as a tall tapering circular tower of coursed limestone blocks, partly rendered and partly ivy-covered. It originally had four or five storeys, but its floors, cap, sails, and machinery have gone.
Some ironwork supports for an external gallery survive halfway up the tower. Attached to the east are the ruinous walls of a rectangular threshing and winnowing barn, with a surviving two-storey south elevation, arched openings, and a square opening for drive machinery linking through the adjoining walls. The complex was listed at Grade II in 1986 as a prominent surviving windmill tower and landmark.
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
St-y-Nyll windmill tower and attached barn remains occupy a hilltop east of St-y-Nyll farm and chapel remains, with the A4232 now close to the east. The position gives the tower strong landmark value in the open landscape around St Bride's-super-Ely.
The windmill was built between 1790 and 1820. It is a tall tapering circular tower, about 13 metres high, constructed of coursed limestone blocks. The tower is partly rendered on the north side and partly covered with ivy. It originally rose through four or five storeys, but the internal floors, cap, sails, and working machinery have disappeared. Plain window and door openings survive with deep reveals and former timber lintels, while ironwork supports for an external gallery remain about halfway up the tower.
The tower is directly associated with agricultural buildings attached to its east side. These are the ruinous remains of a rectangular threshing and winnowing barn. The surviving south elevation was formerly two storeys and three bays, with semi-circular arched heads to openings including a lunette. A square opening for drive machinery links through the adjoining walls, showing the functional connection between the windmill tower and the barn.
The complex was already in poor condition when listed in 1986, and part of the barn frontage subsequently collapsed. St-y-Nyll windmill tower and attached barn remains were listed at Grade II on 2 July 1986, chiefly for the historic interest of the surviving windmill tower and for its prominent position as a landmark.
Timeline
1790–1820
Windmill built
The windmill tower was built between 1790 and 1820.
1790–1820
Attached barn built
The attached eastern range formed a threshing and winnowing barn connected to the windmill tower by a drive-machinery opening.
1986
Listed building designation
St-y-Nyll windmill tower and attached barn remains were designated as a Grade II listed building.
1986
Poor condition recorded
The windmill and attached barn remains were in poor condition when listed.
Sources and records
Cadw listed building record
British Listed Buildings entry
Welsh Mills Society listed windmills gazetteer
Wikidata heritage record
British Listed Buildings entry
Welsh Mills Society listed windmills gazetteer
Wikidata heritage record