—
Water tank added
The mill was stripped of machinery and a water tank was built on the smock tower.
Site overview
The Old Windmill at Brent Pelham is a Grade II listed smock corn mill at The Kennels. Built in 1826 by William Halden, it was a two-storey, eight-sided smock mill on a single-storey brick base. It had four sails and drove two pairs of millstones.
The mill worked until at least 1890 and was disused by 1898. It was later stripped of machinery and adapted with a water tank on the smock tower. The surviving structure retains the base and smock only, with vertical weatherboarding beneath corrugated iron.
It remains a rare Hertfordshire smock mill survival, although no longer a complete working windmill.
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
The Old Windmill at Brent Pelham is a surviving smock mill at The Kennels. It was built in 1826 by William Halden, who was at Meesden windmill in 1827. The mill was built for corn milling and is now protected as a Grade II listed building.
The mill was an eight-sided, two-storey smock on a single-storey brick base. It carried four sails and drove two pairs of millstones. The weatherboarding was vertical and survives beneath later corrugated iron cladding. Recorded millers included Peter Harris between 1839 and 1854, Thomas Miles between 1855 and 1863, and Walter Watson between 1863 and 1890.
Brent Pelham Mill remained in working use until at least 1890. By 1898 it was disused. At some point after its working life ended, the mill was stripped of machinery and a water tank was built on the smock tower. The surviving structure is therefore a reduced but significant mill, retaining the base and smock rather than a full cap, sail, and machinery arrangement. Its listed status reflects the survival of a rare Hertfordshire smock mill structure within the Brent Pelham landscape.
Timeline
1826
Smock mill built
The Old Windmill was built in 1826 by William Halden as a smock corn mill.
1839–1854
Peter Harris worked mill
Peter Harris was recorded as miller between 1839 and 1854.
1855–1863
Thomas Miles worked mill
Thomas Miles was recorded as miller between 1855 and 1863.
1863–1890
Walter Watson worked mill
Walter Watson was recorded as miller between 1863 and 1890.
1890
Working use recorded
The mill remained working until at least 1890.
1898
Mill disused
The smock mill was disused by 1898.
1985
Grade II listing
The Old Windmill at The Kennels was listed at Grade II.
Sources and records
Historic England listed building entry
Windmill World site entry
Wikipedia article: Brent Pelham Windmill
Mills Archive site record
East Hertfordshire heritage at risk register
Windmill World site entry
Wikipedia article: Brent Pelham Windmill
Mills Archive site record
East Hertfordshire heritage at risk register