1833–1866
Tower mill built
Historic England describes the windmill as a mid nineteenth-century light red-brick tower mill.
Site overview
Tower Mill is the Historic England listed name for the former windmill on Mill Road at Great Gidding. The list entry describes it as a mid nineteenth-century tower mill of light red brick. It is a four-storey tapering tower without its cap, with a panelled door facing west and windows at each floor level beneath segmental brick arches.
Historic England records that the mill formerly had three grinding stones and was last in use around 1920. An inscription reads “W.L. Clark Houghton, 1873 (millwright)”. Windmill World identifies the same site as Great Gidding tower mill and records historic photographs showing the tower with a conical roof or capless.
The surviving structure is therefore a reduced former working tower mill, preserving the brick tower but no longer retaining its complete cap, sails or working machinery.
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
Tower Mill stands on Mill Road at Great Gidding. The official listed name is Tower Mill, and Windmill World identifies the same site as Great Gidding tower mill. Historic England dates the building to the mid nineteenth century and describes it as a light red-brick tower mill.
The tower tapers through four storeys and now stands without its cap. The west-facing panelled door and windows at each floor level have segmental brick arches. The list entry records that the mill formerly had three grinding stones and was last in use around 1920.
It also records an inscription reading “W.L. Clark Houghton, 1873 (millwright)”, providing evidence of nineteenth-century millwrighting work or association. The SPAB report of 1938 is cited as a source in the listing. Windmill World records photographic evidence of the tower with a conical roof and later as a capless tower.
No detailed account of the original sails, windshaft, gear train or final machinery removal has been identified in the consulted sources. The building was listed at Grade II on 9 April 1987. It survives as a capless masonry remnant of a former working tower mill.
Timeline
1873
Millwright inscription recorded
The listed description records an inscription reading “W.L. Clark Houghton, 1873 (millwright)”.
1920
Last use recorded
Historic England records the mill as last in use around 1920.
1938
SPAB report cited
Historic England cites a 1938 SPAB report in the listed building entry.
1987
Grade II listing
Tower Mill on Mill Road was listed at Grade II.
Sources and records
Historic England listed building entry for Tower Mill, Great Gidding
Windmill World entry for Great Gidding windmill
SPAB report cited by Historic England
Archives Hub record for Tower mill, Great Gidding
Windmill World entry for Great Gidding windmill
SPAB report cited by Historic England
Archives Hub record for Tower mill, Great Gidding