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Site overview

Shepherd's Mill at Upwell is a brick tower windmill built in 1829. It was fitted with an ogee cap, gallery, fantail, patent sails and three pairs of stones. Wind working ended in 1940 after two sails fell, although grinding continued by electric power in an adjacent building.

The remaining sails and cap were removed in the early 1950s. The tower later became part of a hotel and restaurant complex and survives as a Grade II listed former mill.

Map

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History

Shepherd's Mill was built at Upwell in 1829 as a tall brick tower mill. The mill had an ogee cap, an iron gallery of Wisbech type, an eight-bladed fantail, two single-shuttered and two double-shuttered patent sails, and three pairs of stones. The tower was later raised by one floor.

In 1940 two sails fell, ending wind-powered working. The last miller, J. Lewis, continued grinding by electricity in an adjacent building. The remaining sails were removed in 1951 or 1952, together with the cap, after they became dangerous, and the top of the tower was concreted.

Later buildings were added behind the mill for hotel and restaurant use. The tower survives at Town Street, Upwell, as a listed former windmill with its cap and original working machinery removed.

Timeline

1829

Shepherd's Mill built

Shepherd's Mill was built at Upwell as a brick tower windmill.
1940

Wind working ended

Two sails fell and wind-powered working ceased.
1951–1952

Cap and remaining sails removed

The remaining sails and cap were removed after becoming dangerous.
1985

Hotel ownership changed

The mill and hotel were bought by Mr and Mrs Brown after the hotel buildings had been added behind the tower.

Sources and records

Historic England National Heritage List entry
Norfolk Mills Upwell tower windmill entry
Windmill World Cambridgeshire mill entry
Mills Archive catalogue entries
Industrial History Online site record