—
Wind power ceased
The sails and cap had been removed before the Second World War, and the mill worked latterly with gas turbine power.
Site overview
Dandy Mill was built in 1819 for the Boreas Union Mill Company as a six-storey brick tower windmill for corn milling. The tower is bitumened red brick in English garden wall bond and tapers above a steeply battered base. It later worked with gas turbine power after the sails and cap had been removed.
During the Second World War the internal machinery was removed, damaging the floors. The tower survives as a former windmill structure and was later used as a farm store. It was listed at Grade II in 1988.
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
Dandy Mill was constructed in 1819 on Water Lane, Pontefract, for the Boreas Union Mill Company. The name Boreas referred to the north wind and the mill was associated with an early farmers' co-operative concern intended to challenge the earlier manorial control of milling. The building was a six-storey tower windmill of bitumened red brick, built in English garden wall bond and set on a steeply battered base.
Most openings were arranged vertically and had segmental brick arches, while the west side carried an ashlar lintel inscribed "BOREAS Union Mill 1819". The mill later ceased to work by wind. Its sails and cap had gone before the Second World War, and it worked latterly with gas turbine power.
During the war the machinery was removed, damaging the internal floors. The surviving tower was subsequently used as a farm store. The top courses were rebuilt in stretcher bond, and the tower remains the only surviving windmill tower in Pontefract.
It was listed at Grade II on 15 November 1988.
Timeline
1819
Dandy Mill built
Dandy Mill was built for the Boreas Union Mill Company as a six-storey brick tower windmill.
1988
Grade II listing
The surviving former windmill tower was listed at Grade II.
Sources and records
Historic England National Heritage List entry: Dandy Mill
Windmill World entry: Pontefract windmill
Mills Archive catalogue entry: Dandy Mill, Pontefract
Windmill World entry: Pontefract windmill
Mills Archive catalogue entry: Dandy Mill, Pontefract