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Corn mill worked
Blackdown Mill worked as a smock corn mill with wind power and auxiliary engine-driven stones.
Site overview
Blackdown Mill, also known as Cherry Clack Mill or Punnetts Town Windmill, is a restored smock corn mill. It was originally built at Three Chimneys, Cranbrook, and was moved to Punnetts Town in 1859 to replace a post mill that had burnt down. The mill is a three-storey octagonal smock on a single-storey base and retains two sails, a cast-iron windshaft, fantail winding, and milling 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
Blackdown Mill was originally built at Three Chimneys, Cranbrook, in Kent. It was dismantled and moved to Punnetts Town in 1859 to replace a post mill that had burnt down. The earlier mill was known as Cherry Clack Mill in the 1851 census, when Demas Dallaway was the miller.
The rebuilt mill at Punnetts Town worked as a smock corn mill. It is a three-storey octagonal smock on a single-storey base, with four common sails originally, a cast-iron windshaft, fantail winding, and two pairs of millstones, with a third pair driven by engine. The restored mill survives with two sails and remains a prominent windmill structure at Punnetts Town.
Timeline
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Mill restored
The surviving smock mill was restored and retained two sails, its windshaft, fantail, and milling machinery.
1851
Earlier Cherry Clack Mill named
The earlier mill was known as Cherry Clack Mill when Demas Dallaway was miller.
1859
Smock mill moved to Punnetts Town
The mill was dismantled at Three Chimneys, Cranbrook, and moved to Punnetts Town to replace a burnt post mill.
Sources and records
Wikipedia article: Blackdown Mill, Punnetts Town
Historic England National Heritage List entry
Windmill World site entry
Mills Archive catalogue entry
Sussex Mills Group windmills gazetteer
Historic England National Heritage List entry
Windmill World site entry
Mills Archive catalogue entry
Sussex Mills Group windmills gazetteer