Site overview

Lelley Windmill is a wind-powered corn tower mill on Mill Lane, Elstronwick. It was built in 1790 for Peter Sumper and was later raised to six storeys. The mill was adapted for auxiliary steam power in 1873 and later used an oil engine.

It eventually became disused and derelict, but retained much of its machinery. The cap, sails, and fantail are missing, while the wind shaft, cap frame, millstones, grain bins, flour-dressing machinery, vertical steam boiler, and chimney survive. It is Grade II* listed.

Map

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History

Lelley Windmill was built in 1790 for the miller Peter Sumper. Its broad splayed brick base may pre-date the present tower and may have formed part of an earlier eighteenth-century post mill. The tarred brick tower was probably built from within the structure, with most of the mill machinery installed at the same time or shortly afterwards.

During the early nineteenth century the tower was raised to six storeys, creating a second stone floor and increasing the sail height. One millstone carries a maker's plate for Robert Nutt of Hull. In 1873 an ancillary steam engine was installed, and by the mid-1890s oil-engine power was being used to drive two pairs of four-foot stones for flour and grist.

The mill later fell out of use and became derelict, but it was not stripped for scrap. The tower retains its timber sheer beam frame, wind shaft, floors, upright shaft, wallower, great spur wheel, millstones, tuns, hoppers, tentering gear, governors, flour-dressing machinery, grain bins, sack-hoist arrangement, and other process equipment. The cap, sails, and fantail are missing, but the cap frame, cast-iron wind shaft, Lincolnshire cross, and neck bearing remain.

A brick engine-room annexe, chimney, and mid-to-late nineteenth-century vertical steam boiler also survive beside the tower. Lelley Windmill is Grade II* listed.

Timeline

1790

Lelley Windmill built

Lelley Windmill was built as a corn tower mill for Peter Sumper.
1801–1833

Tower heightened

The tower was raised to six storeys, creating a second stone floor and increasing the sail height.
1873

Steam engine installed

An ancillary steam engine was installed to supplement the wind-powered machinery.
1895

Oil engine in use

An eleven brake-horsepower oil engine was in use driving two pairs of four-foot stones for flour and grist.
1987

Grade II* listing

Lelley Windmill was designated as a Grade II* listed building.
2021

Listing amended

The listed building entry was amended after fuller recognition of the surviving machinery, steam boiler, and chimney.

Sources and records

Historic England National Heritage List entry
Windmill World site entry
Mills Archive mill record
Historic England archive photographs
BBC News item on Lelley Windmill
Gregory and Turner, Windmills of Yorkshire