—
Tower corn mill recorded
The castle windmill is recorded as a tower mill used for corn milling.
Site overview
Bamburgh Castle Mill stands at the north end of Bamburgh Castle. It is recorded as a tower corn mill and is protected as a Grade II listed building. Earlier opinion connected the mill with Dr John Sharp, but later research records that the Trustees ordered its construction on 20 March 1800, after Sharp's death.
The stone tower stands within the castle ward and has been reused by the Bamburgh Research Project for staff offices and finds storage. Modern photographic records show the disused tower as a prominent structure within the castle. The available evidence identifies the construction order, corn-milling function, castle setting, listed status and later reuse, though it gives little detail on machinery or final milling date.
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
Bamburgh Castle Mill was built within the west ward of Bamburgh Castle, near Oswald's Gate, and stands as a prominent tower structure at the north end of the castle. It is recorded as Castle Mill and as a tower corn mill. Although the windmill was long associated in local tradition with Dr John Sharp, later research found that the Trustees ordered construction of the windmill on 20 March 1800, eight years after Sharp's death.
The mill therefore belongs to the later phase of the castle's charitable and estate management history rather than to Sharp's lifetime. The structure is listed Grade II as the windmill at the north end of Bamburgh Castle. In recent years it has been used by the Bamburgh Research Project as staff offices and for storage of archaeological finds from work inside the castle.
The sources identify construction, function, setting, protection and later reuse, but not a detailed milling-machinery inventory or final working date.
Timeline
1800
Construction ordered
The Trustees ordered the construction of the castle windmill on 20 March 1800.
1987
Grade II listing assigned
The windmill at the north end of Bamburgh Castle was designated as a Grade II listed building.
1996
Archaeological project reuse began
The windmill was later used by the Bamburgh Research Project for staff offices and finds storage.
2006
Listed windmill photographed
A modern listed-building image record showed the windmill within Bamburgh Castle.
Sources and records
Windmill World entry: Bamburgh windmill
Mills Archive entry: Castle Mill, Bamburgh
Historic England list entry: Windmill at north end of Bamburgh Castle
Bamburgh Research Project article: The Castle Windmill
Co-Curate entry: Windmill at Bamburgh Castle
Mills Archive entry: Castle Mill, Bamburgh
Historic England list entry: Windmill at north end of Bamburgh Castle
Bamburgh Research Project article: The Castle Windmill
Co-Curate entry: Windmill at Bamburgh Castle